We Belong Together
by gleekinout
Summary: Rachel and Kurt are new college freshies moving to the big state of California from Ohio. Rachel becomes bffs with roomie Quinn and manages to catch the eye of hot older brother Puck, the quarterback with the bad reputation. Will Rachel be another notch on his belt or will she teach him a thing or two? AU Puckleberry
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I've had this idea for a while so I decided to finally write it. The Rachel in this story is a lot more sarcastic and a bit of a smart ass than the Rachel on the show. Very AU with Kurt (and maybe a few others—I haven't decided yet) the only New Directioner Rachel knew before college. Rachel and Kurt are new freshies moving to the big state of California from Ohio. Rachel becomes bffs with roomie Quinn and catches the eye of her older brother Puck, the quarterback with the bad reputation. **

****Disclaimer: I don't own Glee****

"Diva, I swear, I am not your bellboy. Carry your own shit," Kurt Hummel muttered, lugging three shopping bags full of clothing out of the store. He often wondered why he did everything Rachel asked him to, but he supposed it was because she was like family to him.

"I'm only five foot, Kurt," Rachel Berry replied, following him out of the store, jogging a little so she was walking alongside him. "A brand new wardrobe is too much for me to carry. I'm only eighteen," she reminded him as the two of them walked up to Rachel's car, which was packed to the limit.

"I also don't see why the brand new wardrobe that was paid for by Daddy couldn't wait until after we checked into our dorms and moved our lives out of your car. These bags aren't going to fit in here, Rach. There's no space left."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Relax, Boo. You can drive and I'll put them in the front with me. Lord knows I don't need all the space at my feet—I can just put my feet on the chair, even. Here's one of the few times it pays to be small," she joked, unlocking the car before tossing the keys to Kurt. Rachel climbed in while Kurt piled the bags at her feet.

She ended up pulling her knees to her chest to make room for everything. Kurt climbed into the driver's seat, looking at Rachel with a huge grin. "Can you believe we're actually here? It's official, Diva—we're college students."

"Not quite, Kurtie. We still have to actually move into said college before we can officially consider ourselves actual college students."

"Close enough," he said, turning the key as he started the car. Some obnoxious pop song Rachel adored started playing from the radio, causing Rachel to immediately drop the conversation as she started belting the words out at the top of her lungs. Kurt loved Rachel with all his heart, but he would never understand her taste in music. She listened to a combination of sugary pop songs that made his ears bleed and Broadway. Of course, since she knew he couldn't stand top 40 music, she always played that when she was in the car with him, just to torture him.

"Not close enough. I refuse to allow us to refer to ourselves as college students until we are officially living in a college dormitory, sharing a bathroom with an entire hall of people, and being forced to share a tiny living space with a complete stranger."

"I don't see why we're even doing dorm living, Rach. Your dads offered to pay for an apartment for us," he reminded her. "And do we have to listen to this shit? I know for a fact you have your _Wicked_ soundtrack in the car," he muttered.

"Because we need to get a real, authentic college experience! Most freshmen don't live off campus in an apartment paid for by their gay fathers with their gay best friend. And I'm trying to culture you, Boo. What you call 'shit' I call music that every normal college freshman loves. How are you going to make friends and endure house parties if you can't bear ten seconds of Taylor Swift crooning about how whatever guy she just dated broke her heart?"

"Remind me to keep earplugs on hand when I go on a road trip with you again. This has been torture. You should offer yourself as an interrogator to the US government. I'm sure suspected terrorists would go mad and reveal any secrets if they spend five minutes in a car with you," he teased, elbowing her in the ribs as he drove the car into the parking lot in the front of their dorm building.

Kurt and Rachel had lucked out by being placed in the same dorm building—they were even on the same floor. Kurt was on the opposite side, but they were close enough that if Rachel was having one of her famous meltdowns, Kurt was close enough to talk her out of throwing her iPhone out the window like she had done after she didn't get tickets to see _Phantom of the Opera_ when it was playing in Columbus during the summer.

Once they had parked, Rachel jumped out of the car, looking entirely too perky for someone who had spent the past two days in a cramped car eating McDonalds and Taco Bell for every meal. "Alright, babe," she said, clapping her hands together as she turned to face Kurt. "Start unloading my stuff while I go snag my key from the front desk," she commanded.

"Where do you think you're going, Diva? I thought we agreed I'd move in first since I never get to go first."

Rachel looked at him before letting out a laugh. "Please," she chuckled. "I only said that so you'd let me have the extra pillow at the hotel last night." Without giving him a moment to protest, she turned on her heel, heading into the dormitory, leaving Kurt with the packed car.

Rachel was his best friend and had been for his whole life, but she was a spoiled brat. Rachel was the only daughter of Leroy and Hiram Berry. Leroy was a well-known neurosurgeon while Hiram was a successful attorney and partner of a law firm. To put it simply, the Berrys were loaded, meaning Rachel got everything she wanted.

One would think with those jobs, Hiram and Leroy never spent any time with their daughter. It was quite the opposite, really. They made sure they were home every night for family dinner and made it to every school performance of Rachel's. She was very lucky in that aspect.

Rachel skipped back after a few minutes, pushing a giant cart with her. Kurt spotted the ring of keys swinging from her hand as he lifted one of her huge suitcases from the back of the car. "I see you checked in even though you promised I'd move in first," he teased, attempting to sound angry but failing miserably.

"You know I still love you, Boo. But I have so much more stuff than you. We really should move me in now so we're not stuck in my room at midnight still trying to find space for my CD collection."

"I don't see why you brought all you CDs," he laughed, starting to transfer her things into the cart she'd brought for him. "They invented digital music for a reason."

"It's not my fault I'm a music purist. I would have brought my record player and vinyl collection if Daddy hadn't stopped me from packing it," she pouted, looking genuinely annoyed.

"Diva, you are one of a kind," Kurt laughed, reaching over and ruffling her hair.

Rachel shot him a dirty look as she attempted to fix her straight brown hair. She ran a hand over her skirt, smoothing it out. Rachel was still dressed in her 'old' clothes, the ones she'd worn through high school. Every day, she'd shown up in a plaid skirt with a sweater and knee-high socks. At the time, Rachel had thought it was cute, but no one else seemed to—it was probably why she hadn't had a real boyfriend.

Kurt fit as much of her stuff into the cart as possible before starting to push it towards the building. Rachel shut the door to her car and locked it, running after Kurt. They were lucky and managed to grab an elevator before one of the other students grabbed it. Kurt pressed the 5, leaning against the wall as the elevator went up to her floor.

"What's your roomie's name again?" Kurt asked, having forgotten, even though Rachel had told him countless times.

"Quinn Fabray," Rachel said, rolling her eyes. "I think she's some kind of freak, though. I couldn't even find her on Facebook, and only weird Jesus freaks don't have Facebook."

"You know, she could just have her page hidden so 40-year-old perverts can't jerk off to her pictures in their mother's basements."

"Or maybe she's a freaky goth chick who's going to curse me while I sleep and draw pentagrams under my bed," Rachel laughed, skipping out the elevator door as it opened on her floor. Kurt pushed her things behind her, watching as Rachel headed down the hall to her room.

She put her key in the door, turning the lock and opening it. The room was already half full—Quinn had clearly moved in already. She wasn't here—Rachel suspected she was out getting school supplies or new clothes like Rachel had done earlier.

Kurt pushed her things into the room, closing the door behind him. Rachel found her stereo on top and set that up on her empty desk first. "Alright, what are we listening to while we unpack?" Rachel asked, digging through a plastic bag which contained her CDs.

"Broadway. Rap. Anything that's not Katy Perry or Taylor Swift," Kurt said, gagging slightly.

Rachel covered her mouth as she giggled, extracting her _Rent_ soundtrack. She popped the disc out of the case, putting it in the player. She turned it on, cranking up the volume so the music filled the room.

"God, I love this show so much," she laughed, pulling out the bag that held her bedding. Kurt was putting her school supplies on her desk, making sure everything was organized just the way Rachel liked it—he'd spent enough time around her that he knew exactly where she liked certain things to go.

"Diva, I don't think you're going to have enough room for all your shit in this room. I mean, you only get half a closet—I don't think your shoes will even fit there," Kurt joked, causing Rachel to throw one of her pillows at him.

"Cut the sass, mister. You're here to provide free slave labor, not mock me," she laughed as _Light my Candle_ started playing. Rachel grinned at Kurt.

He shook his head. "No. We have to unpack you. We're not doing this again."

Rachel pouted at him. "Kurtie, it's a friendship rule ever since we did this for the seventh grade talent show," Rachel protested before completely disregarding his protests and going right into character.

_Just haven't eaten much today  
At least the room stopped spinning anyway  
What?_

Kurt shook his head, dropping one of her textbooks on the desk as he walked over to Rachel. She'd climbed on the bed and had pulled out her hairbrush, using it as a microphone to sing.

_Nothing. Your smiled reminded me._

Rachel let out a laugh of approval, turning to Kurt as she sang her next line. The two of them danced and jumped on the bed, belting out the song at the top of their lungs.

This right here was why Kurt was her best friend. She didn't know anyone else who would be willing to jump on a bed with her while simultaneously singing along to a musical soundtrack.

_They say I have the best ass below 14__th__ street. Is it true?_

"I'll say she does," someone muttered. Rachel spun around, her hairbrush clattering to the floor,. Standing in the door was a petite blonde girl flanked by two larger guys. One of them was tall and a bit lanky with messy brown hair. The other was much more muscular with dark hair that had been buzzed into a Mohawk. All three of them were staring at her and Kurt.

"God Puck, do you always have to be such a pig?" the girl scolded, hitting the boy with the Mohawk in the chest. He was grinning, staring at Rachel with an expression that was a cross between amusement and desire.

Rachel's face was bright red. She was positive this was her new roommate, and she didn't want her first impression of her to be that Rachel was a freak who liked singing Broadway into her hairbrush, even if that happened to be one of Rachel's favorite things to do.

"Great, now you embarrassed her as well," the girl continued, smacking the boy in the shoulder. "You ruin everything!" The girl walked away from the boys who were watching her with protective eyes. ""I'm sorry for Captain America and Thor over there. I try not to bring them out in public that much. You must be Rachel. I'm Quinn," she said, looking up at Rachel.

Rachel hopped down from the bed, shooting Kurt a dirty look. He'd fallen onto the bed, clutching his stomach with laughter.

"Rachel," she said, taking Quinn's hand. "And the teen gay laughing behind me is Kurt," Rachel added.

"Diva, you know I hate when you call me that. I don't need everyone knowing I'm a teenager," Kurt called over to her.

Rachel wasn't sure what to think of Quinn. She wasn't a Jesus freak or a goth girl. She was like a girl from a Crest whitening strip commercial. Her blonde hair fell to her shoulders, a bow holding the top layer back behind her head. The bow matched her yellow sundress which fell to her knees. She had a short sleeved white sweater over it, covering her shoulders. She'd finished the entire look off with a pair of white, strappy sandals.

She looked like what Rachel imagined California would look like if it were an 18-year-old girl and not a state.

Quinn flashed another smile, showing off her pearly whites. They were like a damn fluorescent light bulb—Rachel made a mental note to invest in some sunglasses so she didn't go blind from Quinn's smile.

"And I'm completely and totally embarrassed right now that you discovered my dirty little secret. I might as well admit it now. Hi, I'm Rachel and I secretly sing show tunes into my hairbrush while jumping up and down on my bed."

That earned her a laugh from the two boys who were still lurking in the doorway. Quinn turned to face them, a hand on her hip. "God, you two are like nosy neighbors searching for some juicy gossip to spread around town. Come in why don't you. And shut the door behind you—I don't want some pervert freshman attempting to feel either of us up under the guise of 'helping' us move in."

Rachel felt her face heat up again and her heart beat as the boy with the Mohawk walked closer to her. He was super cute and he was obviously checking her out. Rachel wasn't used to goys looking at her that way—she was used to guys talking about her because she was a show choir freak.

"The wannabe secret service members behind me are Puck and Finn, my idiot brother and his equally idiotic best friend."

The one Quinn called Puck shot his hand out to Rachel, instantly taking hers. "Half-brother," he corrected. "And I'm a lot smarter than my sister gives me credit for."

"Oh god, Rachel. I can't believe you touched him. I'm going to have to take you to the health center so they can put you on a round of antibiotics."

Rachel laughed as Puck dropped her hand, shooting Quinn a look. "I'm clean, Blondie. Relax."

"Hey, I'm just looking out for my roomie."

Rachel smiled at Quinn before looking over at Kurt. "New best friend?" she asked him.

"Totally. It's like someone cloned you and fucked up the hair. I may have to avoid your room—I don't know if I can handle another diva in my life," he joked.

"Unless she's willing to belt out show tunes at the top of her lungs while dancing around in her underwear, you still need to stick around," Rachel laughed.

Puck laughed, looking down at Rachel as she bantered back and forth with Kurt. "In your underwear? Well, maybe I'll have to develop an appreciation for show tunes and replace your biffle in your midnight singing sessions."

Rachel's face went red at that. She tried to tell herself to shut her mouth, but she always seemed to talk more when she was either nervous or meeting new people. "Why of course. I'd even break out my sexiest granny pants for you," she joked.

Rachel heard Kurt groan from behind her. "And you wonder why people call you a tease," he called over to her.

Rachel averted her eyes from Puck, who was still staring at her. "Well, Kurt and I still have to check him in and get his shit out of my car. We'll have a bonding session tonight—I'm think Ben and Jerry's paired with cheesy movies?" Rachel suggested to Quinn before holding a hand up. "And no, you can't come, Boo," she added, giving Kurt a look. He stuck his tongue out at her. "We need a testosterone-free night."

"It's like you read my mind," Quinn giggled. "I'll make sure the A-Team is out of here by the time you get back." Quinn leaned over, pulling Rachel into a hug. "I'm so glad you're not some freaky goth girl who's determined to curse me," she whispered into Rachel's ear with a laugh.

"Right back at you, Quinnie. Remember, roommate bonding date tonight. Don't be late or I'll move your bed to the roof like they did in _The Parent Trap_—the one with a non-fucked up Lindsay Lohan," Rachel teased. She walked past Puck, her heart speeding up as she did so. She gave Quinn a wave before walking out of the room.

Kurt followed behind her, the two of them walking down the hall towards the elevator.

"Damn, did you see your twin's brother? What a babe. He was totally sexing you up with his eyes, you know. I could feel the 'fuck me' vibes coming off him. Thank god for your V status or I'd be worried you'd do something stupid," he laughed, linking arms with Rachel.

Rachel hit Kurt in the shoulder as she laughed, both of them heading down the stairs towards the parking lot. Rachel had the best roommate she could ask for who also happened to have a hot brother. A hot brother who couldn't stop checking her out.

One hour in and Rachel already loved college life.

**PLEASE REVIEW?!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Holy crap dudes! Thanks for all your lovely reviews, follows, and favorites. I was going to work on a chapter for **_**Tears in Heaven**_**, but after seeing the response to this story, I was inspired to write for this one instead.**

**Spoiler alert: We meet Kurt's roomie and one of the major characters of this story in this chapter, plus some Puckleberry flirtin'. Enjoy!**

"I still can't believe you talked about dancing around in your underwear in front of your roomie's hot older brother!" Kurt howled. "You should have seen the way his eyes bugged out of his head when you said that. I bet he was imagining innocent little Rachel jumping up and down on her bed in nothing but a black, lacey—"

"Cut it," Rachel said, shooting Kurt a look. "I don't see how this is a surprise that I started pulling inappropriate comments out of my brain left and right—you know how I get around people I don't know." Rachel was lying on Kurt's bed, her feet propped up on the wall. Kurt was finishing unpacking his things, currently putting a poster up on the wall behind his desk.

"Yeah, but I've never heard you talk about being in your underwear. You usually try to tone down the weirdness in front of someone who's as hot as he was."

"You sound jealous, Boo," Rachel teased.

"What's not to be jealous of?" he asked. "BILF was totally—"

"What did you just call him?" Rachel asked, interrupting.

"BILF. You know, Brother I'd Like to—"

Rachel held up a hand, cutting him off. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it. For a virgin, you're way too sexually explicit," Rachel teased.

"It's better than being a prude. So, does the sweet and innocent Miss Berry have any naughty, clothes-less fantasies with the roomie's hottie brother?" Kurt teased.

"God no. Just looking at him added another three years to my virginity's shelf life," she said. "He wields that cocky grin like he knows what it does to girls like me."

"I don't see how that's a bad thing. He's hot. You could do a lot worse."

"Yeah, but he was totally giving me 'hit it and quit it' vibes. Plus, he's the blonde's brother. I don't think it's smart to get involved with my brand-new roommate's brother. Plus, he kind of seemed like a slut to me."

Kurt started laughing again. "What gave you that impression?"

"Quinn all but sliced his hand off when he took mine and then told me I needed to get medicated and tested. She was acting like he was some diseased pervert. For all I know, he could be."

Kurt shook his head. "God, this is like Jesse all over again. Any time a guy shows a remote amount of interest in you, you try and find something wrong with him. If you're not going after him, then I call dibs."

"First of all, I was totally right about Jesse. He was a douchebag pervert who tried to feel me up ten minutes into our first and only date. I have a sixth sense when it comes to this stuff, doll. Plus, I'm pretty sure hot bro's a vagitarian, Kurt." He gave her a look. "Look, I'll think about it, okay? First I'm going to get the 411 on him from Quinn and find out if he's only kind of an asshole or if he's a total douchebag, ya dig?"

"Please stop talking like that. I get embarrassed for you when you start throwing out 'homeslice' and 'ya dig's every other word. You're a rich, white girl from Ohio, not some crack whore from the projects."

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him before getting up, walking over to his roommate's side of the room, looking at the pictures on his desk. "I don't see why you're complaining about me getting the BILF all to myself. Your roomie's a grade-A hottie. Plus he might even be gay because there's no way that hair is natural. You get a nice bit of eye-candy to look at every day. Plus, you could totally stare at him shirtless and it wouldn't be weird."

"Not my type. He's too…blonde."

Rachel leaned over, looking at the picture of Kurt's roommate standing with two younger kids who looked just like him. "Well, he's still cute. You know, in that lead singer of a boy band sort of way. He reminds me of one of the guys from One Direction. Plus, his hair looks like it would be so soft if you ran your fingers through it."

"Why thank you."

Rachel spun around and saw the boy from the pictures standing in the doorway, a smirk on his face.

"Oh hell. Kurt, I'm going to kill you! How long's he been standing there?"

"From grade-A hottie," Kurt said, doing his best to avoid laughing. He was sitting in the chair at his desk, looking from Rachel to his roommate, then back to Rachel. Her face had gone bright red from embarrassment—twice in an hour was a new record for her.

"Oh god, I'm so embarrassed now. You weren't supposed to hear that. Those were just the ramblings of my pop-culture obsessed mind."

Kurt's roommate laughed. "Well, am I a Harry or a Liam?" he teased.

Rachel let out a delighted shriek, throwing her hands up in the air excitedly. "Kurt, I already love your roommate. He's cute, he's not a jerk, and he knows One Direction. You've been replaced, Boo." Rachel ran over to his roommate, standing in front of him. He was very tall—he towered over her so much that she had to tilt her head back just so she could make eye contact with him. Rachel extended a hand. "Rachel Berry, Kurt's better half." She glanced over at Kurt, mouthing 'straight' as Sam started talking again.

"I didn't realize Kurt had a girlfriend. I'm Sam Evans. And hey, you never said if I was a Harry or a Liam," he laughed.

"Not girlfriend. I'm his fabulous best friend. Porcelain here's a penivore," she teased.

Kurt gave Rachel an exasperated look. "Thanks, Diva. What is today let everyone and their second cousin know I'm a flamer? Maybe I should wear a sign on my head that says 'Rachel's Big Fat Gay Bestie' to save you the trouble of telling everyone you meet."

"What? The perfectly coordinated outfit with the fedora is not helping your case. If Sam didn't know you were gay from the moment he walked in the room, then he's got the worst gaydar I've ever seen."

"He told me over the summer when we were chatting on Facebook, but the outfit does kind of give shit away," Same joked.

Rachel turned back to Sam. "Okay, you have to let me touch your hair. I bet it feels like one of those fleece blankets I love cuddling with. Plus, you're more of a Niall than a Harry," she added. "And are you a natural blonde? Because the color is oh-so-amazing, there's no way it can't be from a bottle," she rambled.

Sam chuckled, bending his head down as he let Rachel run her fingers through it. "It's natural," he promised. "We Evans' pride ourselves on our perfectly colored locks and use them to our advantage to capture pretty girls like you," he teased

She let out an odd sort of giggle while Kurt watched with amusement as Rachel ran her fingers through Sam's hair. "I'm sorry for the diva. She forgot to take her meds this morning, so she's more insane than she normally is."

"Oh god, it's what I imagine a cloud would feel like. And—my god, your mouth is _huge_," she said, interrupting herself mid-thought as her eyes focused on Sam's mouth.

Sam glanced over at Kurt. "Is she always like this?"

Kurt shook his head. "Naw, just when she's meeting new people. Talk to her tomorrow and she'll be a little more normal around you. And would you stop gawking at my roommate!" He stood up, putting an arm around Rachel's shoulders. "Look, you know I love you, but get lost. I need to have a bonding sesh with the roomie and there's a strict 'no vaginas' rule."

Rachel pouted as he led her over towards the door. "This is payback for me tricking you and moving in first, isn't it?" she asked.

Kurt laughed, kissing her on the forehead. "Go stalk the BILF. Or better yet, flirt up a storm with the BILF," he teased, giving her a gentle push out of the room before closing the door.

Rachel stood with her arms crossed in front of his door for a moment before turning, heading down the hall towards her room. She found her door easily. Their floor theme was Disney, so Rachel and Quinn's name tags were two different Disney characters. Rachel's was Sebastian from _The Little Mermaid_ while Quinn's was Simba from _The Lion King_. Rachel thought the theme should have been Broadway, but she thought everything should be Broadway.

Rachel pulled out her key, unlocking the door and walking inside. She found the room empty—Quinn must have stepped out for something. She kept the door unlocked in case Quinn showed up. Rachel walked around the room, stopping in front of Quinn's desk.

There were all sorts of pictures of Quinn with friends and family. One of Quinn being crowned homecoming queen, one of Quinn jumping into a pool with three blonde girls who all looked alike, one of her brother carrying her over his shoulder. The inner-only child inside Rachel was jealous. Rachel had never been the 'popular' girl in high school. It'd always been her and Kurt doing their own thing. She and Quinn couldn't have been more different, yet for some reason they clicked.

"Nosy?" a voice behind her asked.

Rachel turned, coming face to face with Quinn's brother. Rachel let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, looking right up into the eyes Puck. He really was hot, a fact that made him dangerous. Rachel knew why he was here. She didn't care how hot or charming he was—she wasn't letting some sexually active college boy talk his way into her pants.

"Jesus, you scared me."

"Aw, come on, Rachel. I know I'm amazing, but even I won't claim to be Jesus."

Rachel smacked him in the shoulder. "Don't be a dick. You scared me is all."

Puck rolled his eyes, following her as she walked over to her side of the room and sat on the edge of her bed. Rachel leaned back on her elbows, looking up at him. God, she really was a tease.

"Do you even remember my name?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"'Course I do. It's Puck, just like from _A Midsummer's Night Dream_."

"Come again?"

"What are you, uncultured?" Rachel taunted. "It's a play by William Shakespeare. There's a character named Puck who's a fairy. Or a goblin. Or an elf. Or something. I really don't know—I never made it past the first act."

"And you have the nerve to call _me_ uncultured," Puck laughed. "It's not my name, just a nickname, actually."

"How is Puck a nickname? Unless—wait, do you play hockey or something? Like a hockey puck, you know."

"No, I'm a football player, though I'm shocked you don't already know that. I'm kind of a big deal at this school, you know," he said, sounding slightly insulted.

"Deflate your ego and realize not every single girl on this campus worships football players like they're gods on Mount Olympus. I didn't come here to stalk football players who are related to my amazing roomie. I came here for school. And if your name isn't Puck, then what is it?" she asked, pulling her feet up onto the bed as she lied down, her head resting on her pillow.

"Jeez, does your mind have like, six different people talking at once? I can hardly follow you," he teased, pulling her legs onto his lap, his hands resting on her feet. "It's Noah, but no one's called me that since second grade. My last name's Puckerman, hence the nickname."

"Well, I prefer Noah to Puck. Puck sounds like fuck, ya know?"

"Do you realize when you're around me you bring up lots of sexual words and imagery?" Puck teased. "Normally, I'd tell you to fuck off before punching you in the stomach, but I have the feeling even if I did that, you'd still insist on calling me Noah, am I right?"

Rachel nodded her head.

"Smartass," he muttered under his breath.

Rachel shot him a smile while he returned her smile with a lopsided grin, one that caused her heart to beat just a little faster. "Dude, you're totally cheating right now."

"Cheating?" he asked. "I wasn't aware this was a test."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Don't you be a smartass too. You and that smile. It's like the equivalent of me entering a wet tee shirt contest braless."

Puck leaned his head back as he let out a loud laugh. "Now that's something I would pay to see—along with every straight male at this school. I don't think my smile can top you in a wet tee shirt without a bra, though I'd be willing to test that theory out," he smirked.

"In your dreams, egghead. What do you take me for, a sorority girl?"

"Do you know how impossible it is to flirt with you when you're being a smartass?" he asked. "I came over here so I could attempt to dazzle you without my sister knowing, but that's clearly not working. This has never happened before."

"I'm sure it hasn't with the blinding smile and football-god status. It's good for your ego to experience rejection at least once."

Puck rolled his eyes once again, something he was getting used to doing with Rachel. "Has anyone ever told you you're a pain in the butt?"

"I hear it all the time. Kurt told me it hourly senior year since I kept bitching at him for getting the lead in the musical while my character died halfway through the first act. It's not fair—I totally would have been the lead if Mr. Ryerson had let me audition for it. But _noooo_, because I have a vagina there's no way I could have played a convincing Valjean. Though I was a totally kick-ass Fantine."

Puck stared at her like she had three heads. "What are you talking about?" he asked, running a finger up and down her shin.

"God, you really are uncultured. _Les Mis_, dummy. We did it as our musical senior year, and I was determined to be the lead all four years of high school, but Mr. Ryerson, the director, wouldn't let me even audition for Valjean since he's a guy. He let me pick who I wanted to play, so I clearly chose the fired factory worker who sells her hair and becomes a prostitute before dying, even though Kurt said I was the perfect choice for Eponine. Fantine's one song is my fave."

"You sing about things other than having the best ass?" Puck teased. "Because I personally wouldn't mind if you sang about having a nice ass all day. Though seeing you play a pro would be quite entertaining as well."

"Shush, perv," Rachel replied, kicking him in the chest gently.

"What's it with girls and physically abusing me? I think I've been hit and kicked by you and Quinn more times than I can count today."

"It's your own fault," Rachel said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Puck ignored her. "If you're into musicals and that shit, you should join the drama club. They put on a musical in the fall and spring. I think auditions are next week. I couldn't tell you what musical they're doing this year, but it seems like something you're really passionate about. Plus you have a wicked awesome voice."

"You think?" Rachel asked.

Puck gave her a smile and nodded. "Totally. Way better than any of the auto tuned bitches that are on the radio these days. I'm sure you sing about better stuff than getting your ass dumped for being a clingy bitch or bisexual experimentation."

"Broadway and pop music are two completely different things, Noah," Rachel laughed, sitting up. Puck pulled her knees into her chest as Rachel leaned forward a bit, her chin resting on his shoulder.

"Well, whatever. You'd make a bad ass pop star too. I could see you flipping off all the teenage boys making crude gestures to you in the audience. You'd be like, Avril Lavigne but hotter and with a better set of pipes."

The door opened then and Quinn walked in with Finn on her tail, both of their arms filled with shopping bags. She froze at the scene in front of her. Puck was seated on Rachel's bed, holding her legs against his chest. Rachel's hair was ruffled from lying on her bed and she was leaning very close to Puck. "God, I can't even leave you alone for one minute before you make a move on my roommate. I know she's hot, but can't you keep your hormones contained for at least a few days?" Quinn was ready to kill her brother—it hadn't even been five hours and he was trying to get into Rachel's pants.

"Oh, he tried, Q," Rachel laughed, scooting back and away from Puck. "He overestimated his abilities though. Don't worry, this cherry ain't been popped." Everyone stared at her like she was speaking Chinese. "God damn it, where's Kurt when you need him? He's fluent in Rachel-talk. I still have my V card and didn't cash it in with your brother—we didn't get down and dirty while you were struttin' around town with the Jolly Green Giant here," Rachel laughed, jerking a thumb in Finn's direction.

That caused Quinn to laugh. She placed the bags in her hands on her bed and motioned for Finn to do the same. "Okay, out of her bed. She's going to need to burn those sheets now—you probably made a DNA donation on them while she wasn't looking," Quinn teased.

"Gross Quinn. I'm not that kind of pervert."

"Are too. It's like when a dog wizzes to mark his spot—you'd be marking Rachel's bed so no other owner of a penis gets within 50 feet of her."

Finn let out a laugh as Puck cast him a death glare.

"Alright, both of you scram. The diva and I have a double date with Ben and Jerry." Quinn walked over, pushing both her brother and Finn out the door. "We'll see you clowns later." Rachel gave Puck a small wave before Quinn had shut the door in his face, flopping back on her bed.

Rachel turned to her roommate before grinning. "Oh god, you'll never believe what I did to Kurt's roommate."

**Hmm, probs not going to be a lot of Puckleberry in the next chapter, but it'll be heavy on Faberry/Kum friendships. It's also going to be more Quinn-focused instead of Rachel-focused. I'm thinking of bringing one more New Directions member into the Kurt-Rachel-Quinn-Sam group as well—they'll either be introduced next chapter or the one after.**

**PS: Don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: A few notes. Yes, you'll find out about Quinn and Puck's family situation. It's briefly talked about this chapter, but it gets expanded on more later. I'm not going to say anything about future romantic pairings because I don't want to spoil anything (except for Puckleberry, of course!)Also, I hope this chapter clarifies a bit why Puck is already trying to get with Rachel minutes after meeting her.**

**Thanks again for all the reviews! You guys rock my socks off!**

*****Disclaimer: Glee is not mine. Kthnx*****

Quinn was lying on her bed, laughing hysterically as Rachel told her about how she made an embarrassment of herself in front of Kurt's roommate after comparing him to the members of One Direction. "I can't believe you ran your fingers through his hair. No, scratch that. I can't believe he _let_ you run your fingers through his hair!" she giggled.

Rachel was lying on her bed, her head hanging over the edge while her feet rested on the wall. "I know, right? He really is cute, though. In that neighbor-boy-who's-a-total-sweetheart-yet-secretly-has-a-bad-boy-side-he-keeps-hidden kind of way, you know?"

"No, I don't know. No one gets your comparisons except you," Quinn teased. "But, since I'm sure I won't understand your explanation of said comparison, I'm just going to nod my head and say yes, I totally get you, girl."

After Quinn had kicked out her brother and Finn, she'd put the ice cream she bought away in the freezer of her mini-fridge. Quinn had bought six pints of ice cream because, she claimed, 'I didn't know what flavors you like and I didn't want you to hate me for getting all flavors you thought were gross.' Quinn didn't realize Rachel was an ice cream addict and would eat any flavor that was put in front of her.

Rachel and her had been lying on their beds since then as Rachel explained her first meeting with Kurt's roommate. Rachel rolled onto her stomach, looking over at Quinn. "Dude, his mouth is huge, though."

Quinn let out a groan. "_Please_ tell me you didn't tell him that."

Rachel chewed on her lower lip as her cheeks turned pink. "It may have come up." Quinn started laughing again. "I couldn't help it!" Rachel protested. "I get verbal diarrhea when I meet new people and can't seem to tell my brain to shut up. You saw me tell your brother I danced around in my underwear, and then he mentioned earlier when you were out that I bring up a lot of sexual imagery around him."

Quinn's mouth turned down a little at the corners. "Look, Rach, you should be careful around Puck."

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.

"I love my brother, I really do. He's the best brother I could ask for, but he's a whore. He changes girls as often as he changes underwear." Rachel covered her mouth and giggled a little at that. "I just don't want to see him fuck you up and leave me to pick up the pieces. He's done it before."

"I swear, I'm like the sexual activity whisperer or something. I _told_ Kurt he was a slut earlier, and Kurt said I was just trying to find something wrong with him."

Quinn raised an eyebrow. "You were talking about my brother?"

"Well, Kurt was more than me. Don't give me that look—I can't help it that your brother's a total BILF and has a panty-dropping smile."

Quinn plugged her fingers into her ears. "Stop, stop, stop. I do _not_ want to hear my brother being objectified like that by my roommate," she laughed. "Besides, I thought we were gorging ourselves with ice cream and watching movies with shirtless hotties, not discussing my brother's sexual habits."

"We were, but would you hate me forever if I asked Kurt and his big-mouthed, sexy-haired roomie to join us? We have more than enough ice cream to share with them."

Quinn grinned and nodded her head. "No, totally invite them. I've _got_ to see the guy who let you touch his hair a minute after meeting him. He probably thinks you're a total freak now," she teased.

Rachel shot Quinn a look. "Thanks, Q. You're the best," Rachel said sarcastically. She found her bag, digging through it until she'd located her iPhone. "Remind me never to tell you anything again." She flipped through her contacts until she found Kurt, pressing his name before putting the phone to her ear.

Kurt picked up after two rings. "Diva, I told you, Sam and I—"

"Yeah yeah, no vaginas. I remember. Quinn bought like, way too much ice cream and you and I both know if we don't share it with someone I will personally eat all six pints and put on the freshman fifteen in one night. So you and Sammy get your cute butts down here and join us for ice cream and movies. And maybe even a non-dirty version of truth or dare if we're feeling real rebellious," she joked.

Rachel could see Kurt rolling his eyes on the other line. "Fine fine, we'll be there in ten. But I'm bringing my own pillow, and I totally call your bed if we end up going old school and having one of our legendary slumber parties. Sam! Rach wants us…" The line went dead in the middle of Kurt's sentence.

Rachel turned to Quinn, giving her thumbs up. "The boys are in. Though we may be cohabitating with them for the night because Kurt already called dibs on my bed if we decide to slumber party it up. Fat chance—bitch is going to have to pry me off the mattress."

"Seriously, where have you been all my life? I have been waiting for a friend like you. You are literally perfect in every way."

"Ah, you may think that young padawan, but you have yet to see me in action in the kitchen. Ask Kurt why I've been forbidden from coming near an open flame since freshman year," she laughed.

"You made a _Star Wars_ reference while defying a female stereotype. Yep, perfect," Quinn giggled.

There was a knock before the door opened and Kurt and Sam walked in. Kurt had a pillow under his arm while Sam carried a giant quilt. Both were in their pajamas.

"Sam I Am!" Rachel crowed, sending a grin in his direction.

"You said she got more normal after the initial meeting," Sam said to Kurt.

"No, I said she got normal in Rachel standards. This is normal for her. Just be glad she hasn't asked to run her fingers through your hair again."

"Shut it, Teen Gay. I'll have you know he has the best hair I've ever felt. You must use some crazy expensive conditioner. I _wish_ I could get my hair to feel like that," she said, running a hand through her own hair. "Yeah, not as cloud-like as Sammy's."

"My sister calls me Sammy," Sam chuckled. "You realize you've called me two different names since I got there, and neither one of them is Sam," he teased.

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "Get used to it. I hardly ever use someone's real name. Just ask my white boy homie over here," she laughed, throwing her arms around Kurt's neck.

"Imagine what she's like when she's drunk."

"Memo to me: don't let Rachel near alcohol," Quinn laughed, standing beside Sam. She turned to him, extending a hand. "I'm Quinn, by the way. Rachel's fabulous roommate."

"I'm Sam," he said. "Or Sammy or Sam-I-Am, I suppose. I'm Kurt's roommate who has cloud-like hair that the diva likes running her hands through," he joked.

"Whoa, you weren't kidding," Quinn said, staring at Sam's lips. "His mouth _is_ huge!" she giggled.

"Told you!" Rachel sang.

"You could like, fit my whole head in there," Quinn continued, touching a finger to Sam's chin. "Have you ever shoved a bunch of tennis balls in there to see how many fit?" she asked.

"You were right. They are clones," Sam laughed, tossing the quilt on the floor as he sat on the edge of Rachel's bed. "I don't think I've ever been so uncomfortable yet amused at the same time. I don't know if I should run away screaming or stay here and enjoy the show."

"Stay, Sam Sam," Rachel said, walking over to her and Quinn's closet. The small space was filled to the limit with clothes and shoes. She grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms—pink with little _Phantom of the Opera_ masks on them—as well as a white tank top. "But turn. I don't need you checking out my ass while I change."

"You know, there's this magical place called a bathroom where you can change in your own little stall," he said sarcastically.

"Yes, but this is my room and I don't feel like leaving. So turn or I'm about to make you extremely uncomfortable."

Sighing, Sam put his hands over his eyes. "How about that? Does that work for you?" he asked. Rachel nodded her head, even though he was unable to see. Rachel stripped out of her clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. She pulled the pajama bottoms on before yanking her bra off and pulling the tank top on over her head.

Quinn had grabbed her nightgown, changing into it in the closet. She didn't know Kurt and Rachel well enough to change in front of them.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now," Rachel announced. Sam pulled his hand away from his eyes, leaning back on Rachel's bed. He glanced around the room, taking everything in. Rachel's style and Quinn's style was very different, yet it somehow meshed well. Quinn's entire bed was covered in pink complete with a giant teddy bear. Rachel's bed was a mix of vibrant colors while every inch of her walls were covered with posters of various musicals.

Quinn pulled a pint of ice cream out of the freezer before pausing. "Shoot, I don't have any bowls, Rach."

"Why would we need bowls?" Rachel asked, grabbing the pint from her hands. "You've clearly been deprived during your sleepover experiences. The point of having Ben and Jerry's is so you get your own pint to stuff your face with." She walked over, grabbing a spoon. "It's a rule. Just ask Kurt."

"She neglected to tell you that the only reason she made that rule was because she's too selfish to share her ice cream with anyone," he said, taking the pint of ice cream that Quinn handed him. "Rachel is notoriously greedy when it comes to sharing food. Plus, she was convinced she was going to catch cooties from me if we ate out of the same thing of ice cream."

"You two are literally my new favorite people," Quinn laughed, taking a fourth thing of ice cream before shutting the freezer door. She climbed onto her bed, sitting cross-legged while Kurt took a seat on the floor, his head leaning back against her mattress. "Would you kill me if I used your head as a table for my ice cream?" Quinn teased.

"Do it and you'll wonder why you're missing your hands," Kurt said, popping the lid off his container, placing the spoon in the ice cream before setting it down on the ground beside him. "So Quinnie, what's the 411 on you and brother BILF?"

"Brother what?" she asked.

"BILF. You know, like MILF but with a B."

"Ew. I'm going to forget you said that. I don't like to think of you objectifying my brother like that because…ew. But Puck's my half-brother. We have the same mom. His dad walked out on him and my mom when he was a baby. My dad met her at the Jewish-Christian fellowship meeting. They got married like, eight months later. And then I was born. I have a little sister too, but she's only fourteen and a total brat."

"And what's the deal with Frankenteen?" Rachel asked.

"Who?"

"Finn, dummy. Is he like, your fake-brother or something?"

"Naw, he's Puck's bff. His dad died in the army when he was a kid, so his mom's been on her own since then. He's always over at our house, though. I think he likes pretending he's part of our family. Sometimes he acts like a better brother than Puck does, though I wish he wouldn't. He's so determined to be my brother that he can't see the signs I've been giving him since I was fourteen."

"Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Q?" Rachel asked, her ice cream already half gone. She had little streaks of chocolate around her mouth while she rested her feet in Sam's lap. Neither Quinn nor Sam knew what it was about Rachel, but she had one of those personalities that pulled people in. Even though she was weird and random at times, they both loved the girl already. Quinn couldn't have asked for a better roommate.

"I thought Rachel, queen of sexual references, would have picked up on this already," Quinn teased, tossing her pillow over at Rachel.

Rachel fell over, laughing. "I make sexual references, have a sixth sense about people's sexual activity level, and have the world's best gaydar. That doesn't mean I pick up on giant crushes my roomie has on her fake-brother."

"Oh shut up," she giggled, dropping a foot so it rested on Kurt's shoulder. "But you have to help me out, Rachie. The whole reason I came to the same school as dumb and dumber was so Finn would see me as more than Puck's baby sis. I want him to see me as a _woman_."

"And what makes you think I can help with that? I practically have a giant V painted on my chest proclaiming my virgin status. I don't have a lot of experience of getting boys to fall in love with me," she admitted. "In high school, boys thought I was weird, obnoxious, snobby…you name it. I don't see how you'd have a problem with getting someone as dopey as Finn to fall for you."

"I must have sexual repellant oozing out of my pores, then. No guy has ever asked me out, not even to get one cup of coffee. I've never even kissed someone. I used to tell myself I was just saving myself for Finn, but now it's getting to be pathetic. I'm eighteen, damn it. I need some lip action!"

"Quinn, I think there's a conspiracy by the school to quarantine us together so we can't spread our virgin germs to the rest of the normal college students," Rachel giggled.

"It must be true," Sam added. "Our room's quarantined as well. We're like a virgin club or something."

"We are!" Rachel agreed, jumping up so she was standing on top of her bed. "I hereby declare this the first meeting of the UCLA Virgin Club, and name myself president. Quinnie can be vice, Kurt secretary, and Sam's our mascot," she teased. She hopped off the bed, turning her radio on. She found a Top 40 station, cranking the volume way up. One Direction started playing and Rachel let out a delighted squeal.

Kurt groaned, resting his head back against Quinn's bed. "Great, now she's going to sing," he muttered as Rachel climbed onto her bed once more, singing at the top of her lungs. Sam stood up as well, singing with her.

_Tell me I'm a screwed up mess  
That I never listen, listen.  
Tell me you don't want my kiss  
That you need your distance, distance.  
Tell me anything but don't you say he's what you're missing, baby  
If he's the reason that you're leaving me tonight  
Spare me what you think and tell me a lie_

Sam was still staring at Rachel as a rap song came on and she started reciting the filthy lyrics like it was nobody's business.

"She's an alien," he said, looking over at Kurt. "There's no way she's a real person. Real girls can't rap as good as she can, and real girls would have a problem using the f word so many times in one sentence," he laughed, sitting back down on her bed. He looked up at Rachel. "Marry me," he joked.

"No can do, babe," she said, falling onto her bed with a small thud. "The boo and I are already engaged. Have been since we were sixteen."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "That's only if neither of us are married when we're 35, dummy. You and Sam should totes run away to Vegas and get hitched so I could kick you out of the virgin club and be the president instead," she joked.

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "Bitch please. You're not getting my job. Now come on, I thought we were going to watch hot shirtless dudes!" she laughed.

xxxxx

"Alright, so what happened?" Finn asked Puck. The two of them were in their living room in their apartment, and Puck hadn't been able to get that stupid grin off his face since they'd left Quinn and Rachel's dorm.

"What do you mean what happened?" he asked.

"I mean what happened to make you wear that shit-eating grin for the past hour? You fuck Rachel?"

"What? No. Honestly, I tried, but she shot me down. Every time I tried to flirt with her, she acted like I was a rock. She's something else, bro. I don't know what it is about her, but she's different."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Finn asked.

"Good. Definitely good. I like her. At least I think I do. She's so sarcastic and she makes so many sexual references that I can hardly keep up with her, but there's still something so innocent about her. She's not like any girl I've ever met."

"So, you're going to ask her out then?"

Puck shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know man. I want to get to know her without my sister breathing over my shoulder like some kind of mama bear."

"Fat chance of that happening. Quinn isn't going to let you within a mile of her after what you pulled today, and I don't blame her. You're always messing with her friends."

"Hey, who's side are you on?"

"Hers. I always will be. She's your better half and we both know it."

"Yeah, maybe you're right, but just because she thinks I'm a horny bastard that doesn't mean I'm all of a sudden going to leave her alone. I don't know what it is, Finn, but I can't stop thinking about her. She's something else."

**Song: **_**Tell Me a Lie **_**by One Direction**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thanks for all your reviews, lovelies. I really appreciate them. It makes me think I'm doing something right, and it makes me want to keep writing. And don't worry to my one reviewer—I have no plans for Samchel in anything more than a friendship at this point, and I don't think that's going to change. There's going to be a few more major characters introduced within the next 5-6 chapters—most likely going to be Blaine, Brittany, Will, and Artie with a few others who I haven't decided on yet!**

Rachel woke up to a gentle knocking on her dorm room's door. She was lying in her bed with Sam curled up next to her. What had started as a simple movie and ice cream night had turned into a game of 'see-what-makes-Rachel-turn-bright-red'. Rachel claimed it was cheating if Kurt played, but none of the three of them seemed to listen to her protests.

They'd stayed up until two in the morning when Lily, their RA, knocked on their door and told them they were being too loud. Rachel and Quinn then decided the first meeting of the virgin club should end with a sleepover which was how Sam Evans and Rachel Berry ended up spending their first night of college sleeping in a bed together.

Kurt had bunked with Quinn since she felt awkward sharing a twin-sized bed with someone she hardly knew who also happened to be 100% straight, regardless of the fact that he was a virgin. Rachel, however, had no qualms sharing her bed with Sam. She'd already made a complete ass out of herself in front of him on multiple occasions—hair-feeling and mouth-staring included. Spooning in a small bed with possible accidental boob grazes was nothing compared to that.

Rachel picked up her phone and saw it was just past nine in the morning. She wasn't sure who was at their door—her only three friends here were all still sleeping in her room. She figured it was Lily, ready to give them all another lecture for their excessive noise the previous night.

Rachel carefully climbed out of bed, being careful not to disturb Sam. She tiptoed over to the door, pulling it open. Puck was standing there with two cups of coffee and a paper bag Rachel assumed held some sort of pastry—she could smell them from the doorway.

"Noah?" she asked, covering her mouth as she stifled a yawn. "What are you doing here?"

"What, no smartass remark or insulting nickname?" he teased, his eyes going straight to her chest as she lifted her arms over her head. Praise to the Jewish gods, Rachel had gone braless and her high beams were on. He knew he'd get smacked if she saw him staring, but she seemed to be too sleepy to realize it.

"Too early," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest, effectively blocking Puck's peep show. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Your sister essentially banned you from coming near me again in case you forgot. I'm surprised she didn't weld a chastity belt to me," she joked.

"Ah, there's the sex jokes mixed with sass," he teased. "I thought I'd come over and offer my welcome tour. You know, show you around campus. I'll even buy you lunch."

Rachel narrowed her eyes. "You're just going to give me a tour of campus out of the goodness of your heart? That's totally out of character for you or so I've heard. What's the catch?"

"No catch," he said, holding up his hands. "Honest. Can't a guy take his sister's roommate on a tour and it be completely harmless with no strings attached?" he asked.

"When that guy is a notorious manwhore who spent the good part of yesterday trying to get into said roomie's pants? No." She looked up at Puck, pursing her lips. "I don't know what kind of angle you're playing, but I'm not biting. I'll come on the tour, but I buy lunch. You keep your hands to yourself, and if you attempt to sweet talk your way into my designer jeans, I'm coming back here and instituting a ban on your presence from this room. And this is _not_ a date," she added. "Give me a few minutes to get dressed."

"I'll wait in her—"

"No!" Rachel said, cutting him off. "You'll wake everyone up. Plus, I don't need you catching peeks of my cute ass while I change. Go wait downstairs for me. I'll be right down." And with that, she shut the door. Instead of heading downstairs like she told him to, Puck leaned against the wall outside her door, coffee and muffins still in hand.

Rachel quietly moved around the room, not wanting to wake anyone. Quinn and Kurt were sleeping side by side while Sam, in the absence of Rachel, had spread out and taken up her whole bed. Part of the other reason Rachel hadn't wanted to let Puck into their room was that she didn't want him knowing she let Sam sleep in her bed. The most that had happened was a butt touch around three in the morning, but with Puck's sexual experience, he was bound to make assumptions about what kind of antics were had in Rachel's bed.

She pulled out some of her 'new' clothes, changing into a pair of tight jeans. She pulled a fitted white tee shirt on and paired it with a black, three-quarter sleeved blazer. She pulled on a pair of black, flat ankle-high boots. She grabbed her bag, running a brush through her hair as she did so. It was too dark in the room to put on any makeup—but this wasn't a date, so she didn't want to look like she was trying too hard.

Rachel made sure to put her keys in her bag, opening and closing the door quietly. She placed a hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming when she saw Puck standing right outside. "Jesus, you scared me," she gasped, turning her face up so she was able to see him properly. "I told you to wait downstairs, creep."

"Well, I didn't want your coffee to get cold, so I thought I'd wait here for you," he said, handing her one of the paper cups.

"For all you know, I don't like coffee. I could hate the stuff and refuse to drink it." Rachel, however, was a coffee addict, and the morning dose of caffeine was appreciated—not that she'd let him know. She took a sip of it, making a face. "What, are you trying to give me diabetes? There's got to be ten packets of sugar in here."

Puck and Rachel made their way down to the main floor, walking out the dorm building. It was sunny and warm, but not too hot—the perfect kind of day for walking around campus.

"So, what do you think of the school so far?" Puck asked her, leading her past the giant lake that was in the middle of their campus.

"It's okay. I mean, all I've seen so far is my dorm. I don't know what to think. It's very different than home, though," she said, looking up as a flock of birds flew by.

"Where are you from?" Puck asked curiously, desperate to know more about Rachel.

"Ohio," she said. "I'm from this really small town where everyone is way too involved in everyone else's business and knows every piece of gossip minutes after it happens. I was glad to get out of there."

"And California was where you wanted to be?" he asked, taking a bite out of his muffin.

"No, actually," she admitted. "California was second. New York was where I really wanted to go. I applied to Julliard and NYU. So did Kurt. I got into Julliard but got waitlisted at NYU. Kurt didn't get into either, but we both got in here. We made a promise our junior year that if we both didn't get in, we weren't going. California was the only thing that made sense. I wasn't going to leave him behind. I'll get to New York someday. Just not yet."

"What's so great about New York anyways?" he asked. "It's cold and everyone there is rude as fuck." Puck had lived in California his whole life—he'd never seen the appeal of the East coast. Things were much more laid back on the West.

"Broadway," she said. "It's my dream. One day I hope to be a real Broadway actress, and the only place to do that is New York. California's great if you want to go into movies, but I much prefer the stage. What about you? Why'd you come here?"

"Football," he answered. "I got recruited, so I came. Finn followed since we're like brothers. And then Quinn came because…well, I really don't know why she came here. She always used to go on and on about how she wanted to be her own person and do her own thing, yet she goes to the same school as me."

Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "You don't understand because you're not a girl."

"Then enlighten me, oh wise one."

Rachel shook her head. "No can do, Admiral Dorkface. Girl code and all that shit. I can't tell you the inner workings of a girl's mind. That's like, treason or espionage or some shit like that. Plus, Quinn would kick my ass if I ratted her out to you."

"Vagina's loyalty, right?" he asked. "I get it, I get it. Ovaries before brovaries or whatever the fuck it is you girls say."

"Yeah, something along those lines," she said, pausing at a giant oak tree on the edge of the lake. Underneath it was a tree stump that lots of students liked to sit on. Rachel handed Puck her coffee, walking over to it. She took a seat on it, placing her hands behind her and leaned back, her long hair falling behind her.

Puck was struck by how beautiful she really was. Puck didn't fall for girls. He was a one and done kind of guy. And he certainly didn't try to _woo_ girls. They flocked to him because he was the quarterback and hot as fuck. And when he did flirt with girls, they melted like butter.

But not Rachel. She wasn't taking any of his moves. She shut him down one after the other. She was a different kind of girl, the kind who didn't go for the popular, cocky jock. She seemed like someone who preferred preppy rich boys who drove Mercedes and shopped at Armani, the opposite of him.

Puck wasn't rich. The only reason he was here was because he had a full ride. Quinn got a scholarship for her grades. Quinn's dad had some money, but he wasn't loaded like Rachel's parents obviously were. As soon as he laid eyes on her, Puck knew she had money. The clothes she was wearing cost more than he made in a month—the bag itself was probably worth thousands of dollars. She was the opposite of what Puck normally went for.

Yet he wanted her. It wasn't lust like he tried to tell himself initially. She was funny and witty and sarcastic. She kept him on his toes and insulted him like she didn't give a fuck what he thought of her. Here she was, a spoiled little rich girl, yet she had yet to act like an entitled brat around him. She brought up pop culture references like it was nobody's business and threw out sexual innuendos without ever intending to. She was so innocent and adorable yet sexy at the same time. She was driving him crazy.

Puck needed this on film. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, snapping a picture of her as she sat. Rachel heard the click his phone made as it snapped the photo, turning in his direction. "Creep," she teased, standing up. "What are you, the paparazzi?"

"Hey, if you want to be a famous Broadway star, you better get used to perverts taking pictures of you without your permission," he joked, handing her the coffee.

Rachel hit him in the shoulder lightly as they continued on the path away from her dorm.

"Again with the abuse," he laughed. "Abusing me is not the best way to start a date off, you know," he teased.

Rachel's cheeks turned pink. Hanging out with a guy who wasn't gay was a whole new concept to her. "Yes, but this isn't a date. This is you giving me a tour while simultaneously being a total creep and taking pictures of me while I'm not paying attention."

Puck pulled his phone out, taking another picture of her. She stuck her tongue out at him as he did so. "See? That time you were paying attention." He reached his hand over, showing her the picture on his phone. "That's got to be the most attractive picture I've seen of you," he teased.

Rachel rolled her eyes at him. "Totally using that as my profile pic," she said, running a hand through her hair. "I'll drive all the boys wild with an attractive gem like that." She turned her face back to him. "So, Mr. Noah Puckerman, tell me about you. I want to hear all about the slutty, football god brother of my roomie and new biffle for life."

Rachel ended up not seeing most of the campus. She and Puck took a seat on a bench outside the upper classmen dorm and talked for hours. She wanted to know all about him: what year he was (junior), what his major was (sport's management), where he was from (Santa Monica, California), his position on the football team (he'd thought of saying something vulgar just to get a rise out of her, but ended up telling her he was the quarterback even though he was pretty sure he'd told her this before), and anything else she could think of.

Rachel had geared up for another line of questioning after Puck mentioned he'd learned to swim when he was sixteen, but his stomach growled, interrupting the moment. Rachel let out a laugh and Puck was struck by how easy it was to make her smile. She really was one-of-a-kind.

"Someone's hungry," she teased, rising to her feet. "Come on, I promised I'd buy you lunch. You'll have to show me the best place to get a good burger where the waitresses don't wear bikinis and eye fuck you while taking your order," she said, rising to her feet and extending a hand to Puck.

He took it, smiling as he felt how nicely hers fit into his. He shook his head, trying to get the mushy gushy thoughts out of his head. Noah Puckerman did not think about how nice a girl's hand fit into his. He thought about how nice his—

"So you mentioned something about a drama club?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts. She'd let go of his hand, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. "Do you know if they ever cast innocent little freshies like me or do all their roles go to the more experienced seniors who are probably fucking the directors to land the lead role?"

Puck honestly had no idea. He'd seen the spring show last year, but only because the girl he was sleeping with forced him to come. She'd only been a minor role and he'd been bored the whole time. He avoided drama club productions like the plague, though he was pretty sure if Rachel was in it he'd be able to pay attention.

"I honestly couldn't tell you. I'm not a drama kind of guy. I'm a jock, which makes anything and everything theater my kryptonite."

"Well, I guess that makes us your everyday Blane and Andie."

"What?" he asked whatever reference she was trying to make going right over his head.

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me you've never seen _Pretty in Pink_!"

"No, because I have a penis. You should tape record yourself and see how many pop culture references you make in the average conversation. Half the time I have no idea what you're saying."

"It takes time. It took Kurt a few years, but he understands Rachel speak. He's actually fluent in it. I'm sure he could give you lessons. Kurt would just _love_ that," she giggled. Kurt would be in heaven if he managed to get Puck alone with him.

"I still have no idea what you're talking about, but I'll nod my head and pretend I do." He linked his arm with Rachel's leading her towards the on-campus restaurant all the students hung out at. It was close to noon, so it was starting to get a bit crowded, especially since most of the students were back on campus and hadn't seen their friends all summer.

Puck led Rachel inside, shifting uncomfortably as the hostess very obviously flirted with him while simultaneously shooting daggers into Rachel. He'd hooked up with her the semester before. In fact, there were a few girls in here he'd hooked up with, and he didn't want them near Rachel. Girls he'd been with before sometimes got a bit…possessive. Puck turned to Rachel. "How about we get some take out instead?" he suggested. "There's a park a few minutes from here. We could have a picnic like they do in some obscure movie you've probably seen," he teased, grinning at her.

"There are quite a few movies, Noah, But since you already gave me shit about never understanding the references I make, I'll just say having a picnic in the park sounds fun, Though that still doesn't make this a date," she added, pointing a finger in his direction.

Puck chuckled under his breath. "Whatever you say, babe," he teased before ordering a few things from the menu. He had no idea what Rachel liked, but since she'd mentioned a place to get a good burger before, he ordered her one of those along with some French fries for the two of them to split.

The two of them waited in the front of the restaurant while their food was being prepared, Rachel taking most of the time to tease him relentlessly. He wondered if that was something she'd ever get tired of, though he doubted it.

"Seriously, how have you not seen _Pretty in Pink_?" she asked for what felt like the tenth time. "It's a classic film! You've been deprived, Noah. This is just simply unacceptable that you never saw the movie with Jon Cryer before he was one of the _Two and a Half Men_…you know, before Charlie Sheen started fucking porn stars, drinking tiger blood, and becoming a fucking mess."

"You used fuck twice in one sentence and brought up porn stars. I swear, you were made in a laboratory as the perfect woman."

"Not true. I was made in a laboratory where they make all the kids who go to high school in rad movie musicals. You know, the ones who break out into perfectly choreographed song and dance in the middle of the cafeteria."

"Ah yes. That would explain the singing about asses while jumping on a bed with your gay bestie. Though I still maintain my opinion that you were only singing the truth," he grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, watch the touching, bud," Rachel said, shrugging out of his arm. "Quinn swore she'd put me on Penicillin if you so much as breathed in my general direction. She'll probably amputate my arm to prevent the spread of infection if she finds out you actually touched me."

"Who needs enemies when I have a sister like Quinn," Puck laughed, leaning back against the wall beside the front door.

"Hey, you can't blame her. She's just trying to protect her pure and innocent roomie from the local tramp," Rachel teased, poking him in the arm, something she'd been doing all morning to try and annoy him. He wasn't giving in, though.

The radio was playing in the waiting area and Rachel started swaying her hips to the rhythm, singing along softly to the song.

_Until you're back here baby  
Miss you, want you, need you so_

"You know, you really do have a killer set of pipes. Do you take voice lessons every moment you're awake or something?"

Rachel paused in her movements, turning her face towards him. She shook her head. "Nope. Just raw, natural talent. I think I get it from my mother. My dads must have gotten a true Broadway diva to donate her precious egg to make me. I mean, I love them both, but they're tone deaf. I couldn't have gotten my talent from them. I like to think my mother is someone fabulous like Liza or Patti."

Puck's ears piqued at that. "Dads? And who's Liza and Patti?" he asked.

Rachel held a finger up. "Wait 'til we're out of here. The next few hours are Noah-asking-Rachel-questions time. I had my turn this morning. But nothing too vulgar or I pinch you so hard you'll scream like a little girl," she warned. "And Liza is Liza Minelli while Patti is Patti LuPone—two of the baddest bitches the great white way has ever seen."

Puck laughed at that, nodding his head. "Fair enough," he agreed as the door opened. A group of tall, built guys walked in, talking loudly to one another. Puck shrunk back against the wall, hoping they wouldn't see him. Of course, they did.

"Puckerman!" the one greeted, clapping him loudly on the back. The other guys crowded around him. Puck looked over at Rachel, waiting to see her reaction. He wasn't sure how she'd react seeing the entire football team.

Especially Brody.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Holy smokes guys! Thanks for all your reviews. One thing to address re: Brody and the rest of the football team. Right now, Puck is infatuated with Rachel and trying to make a good impression on her. He likes to think he's coming off as a good guy despite the slutty past. The guys on the team are very much like the slutty Puck and he doesn't want them ruining her opinion of him. Brody and Puck have a bit of a competitive nature which you'll see a lot more in later chapters.**

**Also, Sam and Rachel sharing a bed was very innocent. Remember, both of them are virgins, and both of them innocent virgins at that. They weren't the people who dated a lot in school. It was the equivalent of Rachel sharing a bed with Kurt. She's so used to being around a guy who's gay that she assumes she can act that way with all guys, even straight ones. You'll see that more later in the story.**

The five guys who had walked into the restaurant had completely missed Rachel as they zoned in on Puck. Of course, Rachel just had to make her presence known, capturing all their attentions. One thing Puck had learned about her in the short time he'd known her was that she needed to be the center of attention. Not just needed it, she _craved_ it.

All it took was a small tap of her foot on the floor for six pairs of eyes to glance to the left, every single one of them focusing on the eighteen-year-old girl who somehow oozed innocence and sensuality at the same time. Her bag was resting in the crook of her left elbow and her eyes were focused on Puck, though they occasionally jumped to the other boys surrounding him.

They were all silent for a few moments, though David Karofsky eventually broke the silence with a low whistle. He pulled himself away from the group, taking a few steps in Rachel's direction. "And who is this?" he asked, his voice low in an attempt to sound sexy. Dave was a senior defensive linebacker on the football team who was due to graduate in May, though Puck was pretty sure he was going to have to wait another year to get his degree.

Dave was a hulking guy, easily double the size of Rachel. He towered over her, his muscles bulging out of the tight white tee shirt he was wearing. He reminded Rachel of a corn-fed boy from Iowa who'd gotten his lucky break by being able to throw a ball with accuracy. Much like herself, except her talent was singing, and she was rich.

"You got yourself a girlfriend, Puckerman?" Mike Chang, another player added, his eyes never leaving Rachel's body. Mike was a tall, slim Asian player. Unlike Dave who was extremely built, Mike was more lean. He had the appearance of a runner, not a football player.

"He wishes," Rachel added, her inner snark coming out. She'd moved her left hand from hanging loosely at her side so it was now resting on her hip. In actuality, Rachel was feeling very uncomfortable. She was used to having the full attention of one guy, let alone six.

"She's just too stubborn to admit she wants me," Puck piped in, shooting Rachel a cocky grin. She just proceeded to roll her eyes at him. "Why else would she have let me take her on a date this morning?" he taunted.

"_Not_ a date," Rachel corrected in a huff. "You're lying out of your ass to make yourself seem like a real 'man' in front of your Neanderthal friends, though they all seem as though they'd be impressed if you started waving around a pink thong you bought at Victoria's Secret and claiming some poor freshman let you take it off her with your teeth."

The boys all stared at her, mouths open before roaring with laughter. "Oh Puckerman, where did you find this chick? Better yet, where can I find another one just like her?" a tall yet built boy with tanned skin asked, throwing an arm around Puck's shoulders. "She's so much better than Kitty—nice to see you grew out of the only blonde phase," he teased, sending a smile in Rachel's direction.

Puck visibly tensed at the contact, something that didn't go unnoticed by Rachel. These two were having a very obvious pissing contest with the new guy trying both to impress Rachel and make Puck look bad at the same time. She wasn't biting.

"Fuck off, Weston," Puck muttered, pushing his arm off him. The hostess came up with their food just then, handing Puck the plastic bag with their take out in it. Puck was ready to leave, but Rachel had been pulled into a conversation with Dave, Mike, and Brody Weston. He wanted to punch them all when he saw all three pairs of eyes focused on her chest.

Rachel looked over at Puck and saw him gesturing towards the door. "It's been lovely boys, but the jock needs to take me back so I can learn the scheduled flash mob dance all us theater girls need to know so I don't make a fool of myself when everyone breaks into song and dance like they do in every movie. Toodles." With a flirtatious wave, she walked over to Puck, linking arms with him as she walked out of the restaurant, five pairs of eyes staring at her ass as she did so.

"Sorry about that," Puck apologized once they were a bit further away. "They're all a bunch of dicks, and their inner pig comes out when they're around a pretty girl. I could have kicked their asses for not even pretending to look you in the eyes," he muttered.

"Does that mean you'd kick your own ass for doing the same thing this morning? At least I had a bra on this time." Puck looked stunned at her. "Just because I'm a virgin doesn't mean I'm naïve," she said. "Besides, I don't need you fighting my battles for me. I'm a big girl. I microwave my own mac and cheese and everything. Besides, they were harmless. I chew boys likes that up every day and spit them out," she joked, trying to hide her discomfort. Puck didn't know her well enough yet to know when she was lying.

"Well, I'm still sorry for them. They're all assholes."

"Noah, it's not nice to call you and your friends assholes," she teased, pulling his arm as she led him over to an empty patch of grass in the middle of a large meadow by the lake. The path behind them was filled with runners and bikers, but the meadow itself appeared to be mostly empty.

Unfortunately, Rachel nor Puck had a blanket with them to sit on. Of course Rachel had to be wearing her favorite jeans—the ones she would be devastated if they were ruined by grass stains. Not to mention her fathers would kill her if they found out she trashed a pair of five hundred dollar jeans.

Puck seemed to sense her dilemma. He pulled off his shirt and laid it on the ground for her to sit on. She gave him a gracious smile, sitting atop the shirt while he stretched out on the ground beside her.

Puck began his line of questioning while Rachel slowly started eating her lunch. At times, he fired off questions so rapidly, she didn't have a chance to get the answer for one out before he was asking another. He wanted to know everything and anything about her. At times, she would blush from an answer, which brought on another line of questions.

"First kiss?" he asked, curious if Rachel had even been kissed. He couldn't believe someone as beautiful hadn't had a guy kiss her, but he also couldn't believe she was still a virgin.

Rachel's face went red at that, which only caused Puck to press her further. "Come on, who was it? It's not like I'm going to know the guy," he reasoned, though if she still hadn't been kissed, he could understand her embarrassment. It was a bit humiliating to be eighteen years old and still have yet to be kissed by a guy.

"Alright, but I'm swearing you to secrecy. I haven't even told Quinn this yet, and she knows more about me after one day than the people I was friends with in high school knew after four years of hanging out with me." Rachel still didn't know why she felt so comfortable telling these things to Quinn—or Noah for that matter. Maybe it was in the Puckerman-Fabray DNA that just made them easy to talk to. Or maybe it was because she and Quinn really were best friends after one day. Quinn had revealed so much of herself to Rachel, something Rachel wasn't used to. The only person who had ever overshared with her like that was Kurt, and they were practically family.

"I'll take it to the grave," he promised, crossing his heart with his right hand. Rachel was sidetracked momentarily as she watched Puck cross his bare chest with his hand. She was regretting him taking off his shirt—it was becoming increasingly difficult of for her to concentrate on the conversation. Rachel instead turned so her back was facing him and laid her head on his chest, staring up at the sky as she started speaking.

"It was Kurt. And no interrupting either!" she added quickly as she heard Puck start laughing. "Kurt's my bff, which you obviously know by this point. We've been friends for as long as I remember. One of the things that's big in our friendship is making pacts. We made a pact that we'd go to the same college, one that we'd get married if neither of us manages to find someone who can tolerate us for longer than five minutes, and one that we'd go to prom together.

"I suppose our kiss wasn't really a pact. Kurt asked me out freshman year of high school. I'm positive he knew he was gay, he just wasn't ready to admit it to anyone, least of all himself. It was only natural that we'd date—I'd been in love with him for so long. We dated until halfway through our sophomore year when he came out to me and his dad at the same time. I understood—I kind of suspected it all along."

"How does this have anything to do with him being your first kiss?" Puck asked impatiently, letting out a sigh.

"I'm getting there. Don't get your panties in a bunch," she teased, reaching a hand back to hit him in the chest. Puck grabbed her hand quickly, holding it in his. Rachel didn't react to his actions, allowing him to hold her hand like it was no big deal, even though it really was to her. She didn't want him knowing the kind of effect he was having on her right now. "Well, we dated for months and we hadn't even kissed. We didn't act any different than we had when we were friends except we were now boyfriend and girlfriend. I think one day, Kurt wanted to prove to himself that he liked girls and not boys. We were in his basement choreographing a dance to _As Long as You're Mine_ from _Wicked_ when he just leaned over and kissed me. It was completely unexpected, but it was right then I knew he wasn't into me. I expected to feel a kind of spark or something, but instead I felt nothing.

"Kurt and I kissed a few more times after that, but our relationship was really me being his beard. And I loved him, so I'd have done anything for him. Kurt's the only guy I've ever kissed. He tells me my first kiss doesn't count since he was gay, but it so does! I really liked him then and I didn't know he was gay. So yeah, Kurt was my first kiss, my first boyfriend, my first everything. I really thought we were going to get married and all that shit, but then he had to decide he was into boys and ruin my life plan."

"Well, that just gives you time to find a better, more attractive guy to do all that shit with. If the pigs on the football team were like that with you, I can only imagine how non-assholes react to you," he teased.

"That's just the thing. I know you think I'm this witty and sarcastic girl and can handle all this attention on me, but I was way out of my comfort zone back there. I'm not used to guys paying that kind of attention to me. In high school, guys like that would have never looked my way. They thought I was an obnoxious, show choir freak—not that they were wrong to think that. I was much different back then. You wouldn't have even given me a second thought if I walked by you in the hall."

"That's not true," Puck protested.

"It is," Rachel insisted. "I used to get a slushie facial every day—show choir in Ohio was social suicide, but I loved it, so I didn't care having to bring two or three extra pairs of clothes with me to school every day to make sure I didn't smell like grape or cherry all day long. Plus, Kurt was there to suffer with me, so it wasn't that bad. I just remember always wishing I had that stereotypical high school experience—you know, going to football games and parties and having a high school sweetheart. I never had any of that. I suppose it really doesn't matter—who knows if I'd be who I am today if I did have all those experiences."

Rachel kept looking at the sky, feeling very vulnerable at the moment. Ever since Jesse, she'd put up a set of walls around herself, determined not to let another smooth-talking boy get close to her. After Jesse had humiliated her, she refused to let that happen to her again. She'd never told another soul about what really happened with Jesse—not even Kurt. It was the only time she'd ever lied to him about anything, but she'd been so embarrassed and devastated about what happened, she couldn't even bear to tell Kurt the truth.

"I'm glad you didn't have those experiences, though," Puck said softly, something very uncharacteristic of him to do. "If you had, you may not be right here right now with me," he said. He was very glad Rachel was here right now. He liked her. He _really_ liked her, something that felt both weird and nice at the same time. He wasn't used to feeling this way about a girl—he didn't date. His one 'real' girlfriend through college had been Kitty, and he'd really only been in it for the sex.

But Rachel…well, he'd be lying if he hadn't thought about what she'd be like in bed, but it wasn't the only thing on his mind. She kept him on his toes and always seemed to surprise him with what she said next. He loved lying outside with her like they were now. He really didn't want the day to end.

"You know, there's some really great places around here everyone goes out to," Puck said, his thumb running over the back of her hand. "Maybe you'd like to go see one of them Friday? With me? You know, like a real date?"

Rachel felt the blush creeping up to her cheek but pushed it away, determined not to let Puck know he was having an impact on her in any way. "Well aren't we a cliché? The older, trampy brother asking out his sister's pure and innocent roommate?" she teased, though by the expression on Puck's face, he was waiting for an actual answer. "Yeah, I guess so," she said. "Why not? Quinn's going to kill me when she finds out I agreed to go out with you. She was doing everything in her power last night to convince me you were the devil reincarnate. Remind me to never get on her bad side."

Puck let out a laugh. "That would be a good idea. She's a great friend, but a horrible enemy. You don't want her finding out too much about you—if you're ever fighting she'll use it against you to make your life miserable. Trust me, I know from personal experience."

"You mean how she constantly is bringing up your past slutty indiscretions?" Rachel laughed, pulling her hand free from his, turning around so her legs were resting atop his chest while he rubbed her left calf with his hand absentmindedly.

"Yes, that exactly. This is what I get for not trying to hide my life from her. She once told my mom and step-dad about a party I threw while they were out of town because I secretly hooked up with her friends six months earlier. I got grounded for three months—and I got off easy compared to the friend."

"Yikes. I can only imagine what would happen if Kurt and I stopped being friends—he knows more about me than my own parents do. Whenever anything happens, he's always the first person I tell. He knew about every role I landed and every college I got into at least a few days before I told my dads. He was the person who was around to tell me everyone was a jerk when I got made fun of and the one who always told me he liked me when I thought no one did."

Puck stayed silent for a minute. "I like you, Rachel," he said in a quiet voice.

"I know you do," Rachel said, knowing this was changing everything. She couldn't help but feel that she and Puck were sharing something. They'd learned more about each other in one day then most friends knew about each other after being friends for years. He knew how emotionally vulnerable she was and how he needed to be careful with her.

For some reason, she trusted him. She just hoped that trust wasn't misplaced in the arrogant, slutty brother of her roommate.

**Okay, quick favor. I'm trying to think of what musical the drama club should put on for the fall—the auditions are going to be in a few chapters. Any suggestions? **


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews and suggestions guys. I picked one of the suggestions for what the musical is going to be (you won't find out what it is until Rachel knows). I forgot to say this before, but the clothing that's described in this story is on my polyvore (the link is in my profile). Each outfit will have the title of the story and the chapter it's in. There's one outfit there for now, but a new one will go up each time there's a new outfit. **

**Another note, Blaine will be making his appearance either chapter 7 or 8. Enjoy!**

Around four in the afternoon, Rachel figured she should probably head back to her room—she wouldn't put it past Quinn to send out a search party if she didn't show up for their dinner date in the sub-par dining hall. Puck, however, didn't seem keen to let her go that easily.

"I'll walk you back," he offered, standing up as she picked the few pieces of grass out of her hair. "I should make sure she's still alive, though I'm sure she'd fine. Finn texted me earlier and said he was taking her out to finish her school shopping."

Rachel nodded her head, resting the handle of her bag in the crook of her arm. "Fair enough," she agreed, starting to head back towards the path with Puck at her side. He used that time to throw out questions he hadn't already asked her.

"So you never told me the story of you having two dads," he said, pulling his shirt over his head as he spoke. Rachel was secretly disappointed he didn't walk her back shirtless—she wasn't willing to admit it out loud, but Puck was actually _really_ hot, especially without his shirt on. "How does that even work? I mean, dudes can't get pregnant…can they?"

Rachel covered her mouth as she laughed quietly. "Of course they can't. Well, there was that 'pregnant man' thing, but he was technically genetically female, so it doesn't really count."

"So then you have a mom too?" he asked. He'd never heard Rachel talk about a mother, but he'd only known her since yesterday. For all he knew, she could have a giant family with six dads and ten moms.

Rachel shook her head. "Not in the way you do," she explained. "My dads explained it to me when I was eight. I think they'd wanted to wait longer, but that's the age when I started getting teasing at school for having two dads and no mother. Essentially, my dads outsourced the baby-making process. They mixed their sperm together and combined it with the egg of a woman who they paid to carry their baby. Nine months later, I was born. I still don't know which of my dads is my biological father, but I don't care to know." Something in Rachel's voice told Puck that that wasn't the whole truth, but he could have been hearing things. Regardless, he didn't press her further.

"So what do your dads do? I mean, it's obvious you're loaded from the pricey clothes and credit card you paid for lunch with," he teased.

"Daddy L's a neurosurgeon and Daddy H's a lawyer. They make a lot of money and like to use it on me," she said with a shrug. "I'm their miracle child. They've always put me first. Even when I was little, they did everything to make sure they were around as much as possible. They were at every school show, piano recital, or middle school graduation, no matter what."

Puck felt a little bit of jealousy as Rachel described her family. Sure, it was a non-traditional one, but she had two parents who were very involved in her life. His dad ran out when he was a baby, and his mom had been so involved in Quinn's life that she'd forgotten about him half the time. If it hadn't been for Finn and Mrs. H, he probably would have ended up in juvie.

"Sounds awesome," he said, placing a hand on the small of her back as he steered her around a corner, the two of them ending up back in front of her building. Rachel pulled out her school ID, swiping it on the door to grant them access to the building.

Puck followed her up the stairs and down the hall that lead to her room. She put her key in the door, unlocking it and pushing it open.

"Wait darling, you've got some grass still in your hair," Puck laughed, reaching a hand over to pluck the blade out of Rachel's dark waves.

"_Darling?!_" They were greeted by Quinn's high voice. Rachel turned her head, finding Quinn lying in her bed while Finn sat in her desk chair. She looked as though she was going to kill her brother. She jumped up, snatching Rachel's hand and pulled her out of the room before Puck even had a moment to speak, shutting the door behind him.

Puck looked over at Finn with a questioning look. Finn shook his head. "I think it's best not to ask. Who the fuck knows what goes on in her head. She's probably going to interrogate her about every little thing you said, and then kick your ass later. So, was hottie roommate more receptive to Puckasaurus' flirting today or was she a total smart ass once again?"

"No, still the same smart ass," he said, taking a seat on Rachel's bed. "She's the hardest person to flirt with. She's sarcastic and doesn't respond to any of my lines. But I at least got her to agree to go out with me Friday."

"Quinn is going to kill you when she finds out you've been putting the moves on Rachel. Wasn't the whole point of her kicking us out was for you to get away from her roommate? If you break her heart and leave Quinn to pick up the pieces yet again, she's never going to forgive you."

"I'm not going to one and done her. I actually like her, Finn."

"Get in line. Two guys were over here looking for her while you two were out braiding each other's hair or picking dandelions or whatever it is a guy and a girl who aren't fucking each other do."

"What are you talking about, Hudson?"

"Some beach-blonde surfer type of guy was here blabbering on about some sleepover and mentioned how Rachel was a nightmare to sleep next to because she kicks all night and then asked your sister if she and Rachel wanted to get dinner later. And then some other guy was here and made it seem like they had plans later."

"What other guy?"

"I don't know. Older, though he total had a douchebag vibe. I think he said his name was Will. Looks like you're not the only guy in sweet little Rachel's life. Or her bed."

Puck narrowed his eyes at Finn. "You don't know what you're talking about. You hardly know her. She's sweet and innocent and—"

"What, you know this because you spent one afternoon with her? You just met the girl, Puck. You really have no idea what she's like. All I can tell you is what I saw today, and from what I saw, Rachel may not be as sweet and innocent as you think."

xxxxx

"Rachel, do you not recall the conversation from yesterday where I told you my brother was a man slut and you should steer clear unless you wanted to end up with a broken heart and an STD?" Quinn asked, her arms folded in front of her chest.

Rachel had this goofy grin on her face and seemed to be ignoring everything Quinn was saying. "No, I remember," she said. "I can take care of myself, Quinnie. I know you think he's this big sleazy perv—and okay he is at times. But he's this really nice guy, too. He didn't even try to kiss me or get into my pants. He just gave me a tour of campus and we talked. He's…he's different. I know this sounds silly, but we shared something special."

"I know you think that, but he's like every other guy, Rachel. All he wants is to get you in bed. He makes every girl feel like they shared something special, and then once he gets what he wants, he moves onto the next girl. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Rachel put a hand on Quinn's shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "I know you don't, but I won't. I'm tough. It takes more than a silly slutty boy to hurt me. I'll be careful, I promise. He's taking me out Friday, but he's promised to take it slow. And I promise if he gets fresh with me, I'll let you know so you can kick his ass while I videotape it and post it on Youtube," she giggled.

Quinn was furious at Puck. He's _promised_ not to fuck with her friends this year, yet he'd already spent all day with her roommate and asked her on a date. She was totally not getting him a birthday gift this year.

Quinn, however, could also see Rachel was genuinely happy. She had a giant smile on her face that she couldn't seem to get rid of. She even seemed to be glowing, as corny as that sounded. Whenever her friends had spent time with her brother, they always looked happy, but in an 'I-just-got-fucked' kind of way. Nothing about Rachel's appearance seemed to say that. Maybe she was right—maybe she had shared something special with Puck.

"Well, I still think you should go on a round of antibiotics—just as a precaution," she teased, glancing up at their closed door. The whiteboard they'd put up yesterday had one message on it.

_Rachel—don't forget about tonight. Not letting you back out now. I'll meet you there at 7. You're going to be great!  
Will  
PS-Leather or lace preferred. _

"That reminds me. Who's this hot bitch Will and what does he have planned for you tonight?"

Rachel looked up at the door, her face going white. "Shit, I forgot about that. Quinn, I've made a huge mistake."

"Oh, you mean with my brother? I couldn't agree more. That Will dude is so hot. How'd you even meet him and more importantly does he have a brother I could double with?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Not what I mean, perv. Will's a friend from Ohio. Plus, he's fifty shades out of my league and a good six years older than me."

"When why is giving you fashion tips on what to wear to your R-rated date later?"

"It's not a date. It's the reason why I need to learn to say no. Will called me last week and was bitching and moaning about how the lead singer in his band broke her leg and they couldn't find anyone who was good enough to fill in at such short notice. Long story short, he asked me to sing for them or they'd have to give back the money they got for playing, which they couldn't do since they already spent it all on booze and hookers or whatever else a shitty rock band needs."

"How are you going to do that if he's in Ohio?" Quinn asked.

"He's not. He's here—that's why he asked me. He knew I was coming out here for school and I was someone he knew had a decent voice. Will went to college in Ohio and he helped out with the glee club at my school—that's where I met him. I guess he was kind of like my coach—he helped me pick the best sings for my voice and I helped him become a better dancer. He left my senior year and came out here for grad school. I blame him for me not getting the lead my senior year—he would have made Mr. Ryerson let me audition. Actually, he would have made Mr. Ryerson do a musical that had a sizable female lead."

"Again, not seeing how this is a huge mistake. You get to sing with a band. Isn't that what you love doing?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, being in a band is totally different than show choir and the musical. I've never met his band before, plus they're all going to hate me the moment I walk in since I'm this young, 18-year-old girl who's taking the place of the singer they're used to playing with. They're all probably a good six to ten years older than me and think pop music is torture. Besides, playing with a band is more performing on the spot. No practice or anything like that. I'm going to crash and burn."

The door opened then and Puck stuck his head out, looking at Quinn and Rachel. "Hey," he said.

Quinn glared up at him. "What do you want, loser? You've done enough corrupting of my roomie for two lifetimes. Scram."

"Look, I'm leaving. Can I just talk to Rachel for a minute? I promise I'll leave right after so you can bad-mouth me some more to her."

"Alright, but only one minute. As soon as that time's up I send Finn out and the two of you leave so Rachel and I can disinfect our room. God only know what type of diseases you two left behind." She passed her brother, walking into the room and shut the door behind her, leaving him in the hall with Rachel.

"So, we're still on for Friday, right?" he asked.

Rachel smiled up at him and nodded her head. "Of course," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "I'm actually kind of looking forward to it," she admitted, her cheeks turning a slight pink at that.

"Well, why don't we go tonight? I mean, we don't have to wait until Friday."

Rachel shook her head. "No, I promised the rooms we'd hang tonight. Besides, I monopolized enough of your time today. Go hang with the dicks on your football team or your biffle or your teddy bear," she teased. "I'll see you Friday, okay?" she said, standing on her toes and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Puck wanted to reach up and touch the spot she'd kissed, but he didn't want to look like a total loser in front of her. Instead, he just gave Rachel a smile.

Rachel opened the door, passing by Finn as she walked in. Once she had disappeared inside her room, Puck reached his hand up to his cheek, smiling a little. Finn hit him in the shoulder, causing Puck to glare at him. "Dude, what the fuck?"

"You're acting like a girl. It's freaking me out. Man up and quit touching your cheek like a god damned woman."

Puck dropped his hand from his face, his cheeks burning. "Sorry," he muttered, glancing at Rachel's door once more before turning his back to it. As he walked towards the stairs with Finn, Puck couldn't help feeling like shit. He saw the message on her board—the one from Will telling Rachel he preferred her in leather or lace. And then there was this surfer guy who slept with her the night before?

"Remember, we're getting dinner and drinks with Sugar and Marley tonight," Finn reminded him. Puck let out a groan. Marley was a sophomore who had been trying to get with him for almost a year now. She was clingy and annoying, plus she wasn't his type. The only reason he'd agreed to go with her was because Sugar refused to go out with Finn unless Marley had a date too. He didn't even want to go anymore now that he'd met Rachel. He didn't want to be the stupid football player who hooked up with every girl who gave him the time of day. That guy wasn't good enough for Rachel.

Puck wanted to be worthy of her. Someone who slept with a girl just because his friend needed a date was not worthy of someone as good and sweet as Rachel. "No, I'm not coming. I don't want Rachel thinking I'm some kind of sleaze, and she's definitely going to think that if I go out with some chick hours after asking her on a date."

"Grow up, Puck. You're not the only guy in Rachel's life. Besides, you two aren't even an item. She's not cancelling her plans just because you asked her out, so why should you? Plus, you're just going to end up getting pissed drunk in your room and throwing shit around if I let you stay home by yourself. We're taking the girls out tonight and that's it. You can go on your date with Rachel tomorrow and everything will be perfect. It's not cheating or being a sleaze if you two haven't even gone on a date."

Puck rubbed the back of his neck as they two of them left the dorm, heading towards Puck's car. "I guess you're right. She can't get pissed at me for going on a date when she's doing the same thing, right?"

Finn nodded his head, climbing into the front seat. Puck opened the door, trying to mentally justify going on a date with Marley. Rachel was going out with Will, so it should be okay for him to go out with a girl.

Somehow, that still didn't make him feel any better. Driving away from the dorm, Puck knew he was going to need a lot of alcohol to get through this night. He was already counting down the minutes until it was over.

**One more note—this story is going to (hopefully) be updated every Wednesday and Saturday. I'll do my best to get a new chapter out twice a week. Occasionally I will only update once, but most weeks there should be two new chapters.**

**Please review guys!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Thank you all for your reviews. I'm so happy for the response to this story so far! I think you all are going to hate me for what's coming up in the next few chapters, but remember this is a Puckleberry story! **

From the moment Rachel texted Kurt, it took him ten seconds to walk through the door of her room with two giant shopping bags filled with clothes, beauty supplies, and fashion magazines. He didn't even bother knocking on her door—he just walked right in like he lived there.

"Sam's checking out the gym, but he said he'll be here in an hour. He said he needs to shower and get changed now that we're spending our second night in college at a club."

Rachel laid back on her bed, letting out a groan. "It's not a club. It's some college bar filled with drunk frat guys whose goal is to convince an equal wasted chick that he's not a perv and she should come back to his house and fuck his brains out while simultaneously getting three different diseases. I'm pretty sure Sam could show up in his sweaty gym clothes and he'd fit right in."

"No roommate of mine is going to Rachel Berry's rock star debut in gym shorts and a ratty old tee shirt. He's going to look like hot shit."

"Please don't tell me you threatened him with a makeover if didn't show up looking nice?" Rachel groaned, shaking her head in amusement.

"I didn't _threaten_ him, I just stated that it would be to his best interest if he showed up looking nice because I heard the girls from the International Dance Academy hang out there and they don't look too kindly on sweaty, smelly boys. He was more than happy to wear something I wouldn't be embarrassed by. I would have lent him something, but Sam couldn't squeeze into skinny jeans even if he used Crisco and fishing line."

"Okay, next time I'm in your room I'm confiscating your copy of _The Devil Wears Prada_. You are not allowed to quote that in everyday life—that's my job," Rachel teased as Kurt walking into her closet, his hand on his chin.

"I don't know why you texted me all crazy and panicked about having nothing to wear and making a fool of yourself in front of hottie Will and his badass band members. I helped you pick out a closet full of designer clothes that any model would kill to get her hands on. Just wear anything from there and we're in business."

"You're assuming I can put together an outfit that doesn't scream 'I'm an 18-year-old virgin and have no idea what the fuck I'm doing on this stage'. I don't want to look like a deer in headlights when I get up there and belt out whatever girly rock song Will picked for me to sing. I want to look like I belong with Will and his band members who are sure to hate me from the moment I walk in."

"No one could hate you, Rach," Quinn said, joining Kurt. "You're like, Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Smart Ass rolled into one. They start giving you shit and you'll just give it right back to them mixed with some colorful language and clever insults. They're going to love you from the moment you open your mouth. Now are we going with the leather or the lace?"

"Neither," Rachel said, sitting up and crossing her legs. "Leather implies sex and that is not the message I want to send, and lace is too…I don't know. It's not right for a college bar. I want to look like a mix of rock goddess and pop princess, if that's at all possible."

"Darling, have you forgotten who you're talking to? I'm Kurt Hummel. I can make Rosie O'Donnell look like a super model. Now sit and let me work my magic." He pointed to her desk chair. Rachel got up, taking a seat in the chair.

"I don't want to stand out too much," she said as Kurt started working on her hair. "I'm basically walking into the lion's den with slabs of meat strapped to me. I don't want to be eaten alive."

"You won't. You're more likely to get asked for your number by all members of the band by the time I'm done with you. Including Will the hottie."

"No, that's just wrong. He was like, sort of my teacher. That's wrong."

"So? Just because he was your fake teacher doesn't mean you can't think he's hot. Infact, that makes it hotter. 'I know I'm failing, Mr. Schue, but I'm sure there's _something_ I could do for extra credit.' Ow, that hurt, Diva," Kurt laughed, rubbing his arm slightly.

"Slut."

"Prude."

Rachel stuck her tongue out at Kurt but fell silent, leaning back in her chair as Kurt brushed, curled, and styled her hair. At some point, he pulled out the temporary color hair dye, putting streaks of pink and blue in Rachel's hair.

"You know, I'm thinking we go with McQueen tonight," Kurt said, curling the last strand of Rachel's hair, giving it a relaxed beachy wave look.

"Mc-who?" Rachel asked as Quinn started her makeup, giving her smoky eyes with deep red lips.

"Sometimes I wonder how we're best friends. I swear, you know so little about fashion, it should be a crime. Alexander McQueen, Diva. One of the greatest designers to ever live. I forced you to get like, three McQueen dresses, which means your dads are going to kill me next time they see me."

"Normally I can understand the gay, but I'm too nervous right now. What are you talking about, boo?"

"Walking into that bar like you own the joint. If you walk in wearing McQueen, everyone's going to know you're a bad bitch and not to fuck with you. Plus, once Quinn and I are finished with the rock star makeover, the whole band is going to be eating out of the palm of your hand. McQueen demands respect, and everyone is going to give it to you once you put the dress on. It's like Cinderella's glass slipper, only better. So get your skinny ass up and put that dress on. We're going to make you look like the diva you are."

xxxxx

Puck was in Hell. Literally, he was there. He'd been at dinner with Finn, Sugar, and Marley for about half an hour and he already wanted to rip his ears off. Marley had been going on and on about some stupid fucking thing she was doing this semester while not-so-subtly trying to give him a hand job underneath the table. He was over the whole date and they hadn't even gotten their meal yet.

Finn kept shooting him looks that said 'Quit looking so miserable and suck it up'. It wasn't his fault Marley had the personality of a rock and wasn't exceptionally pretty. She mentioned more than once how she'd been to every football game since her freshman year and blah blah blah. Puck needed alcohol if he was expected to not shove the knife on the table through his brain.

"I'll be right back," he said, getting up from the table. Finn narrowed his eyes at him, but let him leave. Puck walked out to the parking lot, climbing into the front seat of the car. He usually kept a bottle of something in the dashboard in case he needed to get a girl drunk. Currently, it was a bottle of Jack Daniel's in there. Not his favorite, but it would do the job.

There were two glasses in there as well, and Puck filled them both up, a glass in each hand with the bottle perched between his legs. He drained the first glass in a matter of seconds, but drank the next one a little more slowly.

He couldn't stop thinking about Rachel. After he'd gotten back from her dorm, he'd texted everyone he knew, looking for information on some older guy named Will. He didn't even know the guys last name. The asshole was taking his Rachel out and wanted her in leather or lace, and he couldn't even find the bastard to beat the shit out of him for thinking about Rachel that way.

Luckily, Mike had heard of him through some girl he dated. His name was Will Schuester and he was a grad student getting his master's in education. According to the girl, he was hot as hell and was part of a band that was playing at O'Hara's tonight.

Oh, and he had a thing for younger girls.

He didn't understand why Rachel was willing to go out with this guy. She didn't seem like the type who was into the garage band emo boys, though she didn't seem like she'd be into asshole jocks either. In fact, he had no idea what type of guys Rachel was into since the only male he'd seen her hang around was someone who was into other guys.

Puck knew he couldn't be pissed about her going out with someone tonight. Here he was doing the same exact thing, but at least he was miserable about it. He was sitting in his car getting drunk and avoiding Marley and her annoying voice at the same time. It was a win-win.

Of course, Finn didn't see it that way. After Puck had been gone for half an hour, he headed outside, looking mad as hell. He pulled the door to the car open, shaking his head as he got a look at his best friend. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I needed a drink to deal with Marley and her boring personality. Plus I'm trying to forget about Rachel doing the nasty with some asshole grad student who wants her wearing leather or lace for their X-rated date."

"Yeah, well I haven't been able to get a word in edgewise between Sugar complaining about her food and Marley asking every two seconds where you are. I said I'd go find you and here you are. Now get your ass inside and try to pretend you're sober and interested in Marley or Sugar won't put out for me tonight—you know how long I've been trying to nail her."

"Don't care. Not interested. Leave me alone." Puck made to take a drink from the bottle, but Finn snatched it away before he had a chance. "Hey, give that back!" he complained.

"No. Get inside and have fun. I doubt Rachel's on her date worrying about what you're doing. In fact, I bet she hasn't even thought of you once the whole time." Finn knew he was being harsh and a bit of an asshole, but he needed Puck inside with him before he lost his mind.

Finn tossed the bottle back inside the car, slamming the dash shut. Puck grumbled to himself, though he got out of the car, a slight sway to his step as he did so. Finn shook his head but didn't say anything, knowing Puck was likely to jump down his throat as he did so.

"I want to go to O'Hara's after dinner," he said, pausing at the door to the restaurant.

"O'Hara's? You only go there Thursdays if you're a drunken frat rat looking to score some mediocre tail. Why don't we go to MJ's. That place is a lot nicer."

"Yeah, but we're going to get carded if we go to MJ's and there's no way Sugar's going to fuck you unless she has at least two or three drinks in her. O'Hara's never cards and it's cheap. I'm not spending eight bucks a drink at MJ's when I can get a two dollar pitcher of beer at O'Hara's, and I'm not coming back in unless we go to O'Hara's."

Finn let out an exasperated sigh. "This is a Rachel thing, isn't it?"

"I just want to see who this douchebag is, that's all. I don't see why this is a big deal."

"This is borderline stalking, Puck. You're going to freak the girl out before you even kiss her. You sure you want to do this?"

"I just want to see the band at O'Hara's. If I happen to see asshole Will, well then that's just a coincidence. And if I happen to beat the shit out of him, well I can't control what I do when I'm drunk." With that, Puck walked back inside, Finn shaking his head as he followed him.

xxxxx

Two hours after first arriving, Kurt stepped away from Rachel, admiring his final product. "Damn, I'm good."

Quinn nodded her head in agreement, sitting on her bed beside Sam. "You are. You're like a fairy godmother and miracle worker rolled into one. She's like Joan Jett and Debbie Harry rolled into one. If I was a lesbian, I'd totally do her."

Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're totally hot, Rach. I'd make out with you if you weren't my roommate's best friend. That bar's going to have a collective boner after getting one look at you."

Rachel blushed, standing in the middle of the room. She was wearing a black, sleeveless dress that fell to her mid-thigh. Her hair, now in thick waves, fell halfway down her back, pick and blue streaks running through it. Quinn had given her dark eyes with crimson lips. She'd used lots of powder to make Rachel's skin seem paler than it was. The dark clothing also helped with that.

Her nails had been painted black. Kurt had accessorized the look with two rings—one with a black acrylic rose and the other with sparkly jewels—as well as a chain bracelet and a jeweled necklace. Rachel also had on a pair of dangly black earrings. The look was finished with black, lace up platform sandals that made Rachel a good four inches taller than she was.

"Really, you look stunning. Totally classy and yet rock and roll at the same time. Come," Kurt said, handing Rachel her bag.

She smiled at him, leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you, Kurt. I could never look this good on my own. You really are a fashion genius."

"You don't need to tell me twice," he laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Quinn the twin should be saying the same thing. I made her look fabulous, and she didn't have the amazing closet you have." Kurt had dressed Quinn in a white and black crop top and a high-waisted black skirt. Her stomach was showing, but she was wearing it in a way that didn't look trashy. Her blonde hair was straightened, falling just below her shoulders. She had on some black jewelry and had finished the look with a pair of, as Quinn put it, "thrift store sandals".

"You both look gorgeous," Sam said, standing up. He was just in jeans, sandals, and a tee shirt, though he looked like he had just walked off the beach with his bleach-blonde hair. "I'd be honored to call either of you my girlfriend."

"Aww, Sammy, you're making me blush," Rachel teased, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. Sam's face turned red at that and he hastily pulled away from her. "Aw jeez, I always forget not everyone's a baby seal like Kurt. Sorry Sam. I'm just so used to kissing Kurt on the cheek that I do it to everyone. Do you think Noah go the wrong idea when I kissed him on the cheek before he left?" she asked, turning to Kurt.

"He got the wrong idea the moment you sang about having the best ass. I wouldn't worry about it. The boy is head over ass for you, and you think he's hot as fuck. He probably though you missed his lips," Kurt teased, patting Rachel on the back. "Now move your cute butt. We need to get to this place before the band goes on and you miss your big debut."

The four of them made their way out of Rachel and Quinn's room, heading towards the stairs. They passed a few people on their way, earning looks from everyone. Rachel and Quinn even got a whistle from a group of three guys.

Kurt offered to drive, figuring Rachel driving with heels on was a bad idea. Sam and Quinn climbed into the back with Rachel in the front with Kurt. Kurt pulled out of the parking lot, putting Rachel's _Wicked_ soundtrack on before she had a chance to find a top 40 station.

Rachel was the only one singing, Kurt being too busy driving to sing with her while neither Sam nor Quinn knew any of the songs. It only took five minutes to get to the bar, but Rachel had managed to teach Sam and Quinn some of the words to the songs by the time they arrived. Kurt had to drive around the lot three times before he found a spot. Unfortunately, it was far from the door, but a spot was a spot.

Kurt held onto Rachel's hand, helping her walk through the gravel parking lot while Sam gave Quinn a piggy back, her laughing the entire time. They got a few looks from people standing outside the bar as they walked in, but none of them seemed to care. Rachel was the kind of person who marched to her own drum, so a rude comment by a drunken sophomore didn't even faze her.

The place was packed with every table occupied by a group of students. The only person who seemed to be over the age of twenty-five was the doorman, but that still didn't stop him from checking Quinn's ass out as Sam carried her inside, bending down so she could climb off his back once they were inside.

"Rach!" a voice called. All four freshmen looked over as a tall, built guy walked towards them. He was in tight jeans with combat boots. He had on a white tee shirt that clung to his very muscular body, a back vest over top of it. His curly hair was messy, but in a deliberate way. He had rings through his right ear and left eyebrow, as well as a tattoo on his right arm (and his back, not that it was currently visible).

Rachel heard Quinn let out a shaky breath as she took Will as he came to a stop in front of the group. "Hey, Will!" she laughed, throwing her arms around the guy. He returned the hug, lifting her off the ground momentarily, causing her to let out a giggle.

"Nice to see you haven't grown, shrimp," he teased, setting her back down on the ground. Two other guys, as well as a girl on crutches, walked over to them, the three of them standing behind Will as they took the group in.

"Oh shut up. You always liked the fact that I was small because it made me easier to boss around."

"If I remember correctly, you never listened to a word I said, even if I was older and smarter than you," he joked, causing Rachel to stick her tongue out at him. "Mature. Good to see you, Kurt," he said, turning to Kurt who was standing beside Rachel. "I heard from Miss Holliday you finally stole the lead from the diva last year in the musical. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Schue. We missed you, though. It wasn't the same without you pulling pranks on us all closing night. Mr. Ryerson turned into a total asshole once you left."

Will shrugged his shoulders. "He's a bit intense, though he knows his shit. Anyways, we'll have time to catch up later once Rachel blows the lid off this joint." He turned to the three people standing behind him. "What do you think?"

The guy on Will's left stepped forward, examining Rachel closely. "She's too bubble gum pop for me, but she'll do. The guys here will love her, especially in that dress," he said, his voice lighthearted. "I'm Bryan," he added, shaking Rachel's hand.

"Oh Will, you didn't say how beautiful she was," the other guy said, stepping forward. He took Rachel's hand, kissing the back of it which caused Rachel to blush. "I'm Cooper, and in case you were wondering, I'm single."

"See, I told you they'd all want your number by the end of the night," Kurt called over, causing everyone to laugh.

"I'm just teasing. I'd probably go to jail—are you even eighteen?" he laughed.

Rachel nodded her head. "Been eighteen since December, actually," she said, pulling her hand back from Cooper's. "Though, from your sexually active hair to your fuck me smile, I'd wager you're much too slutty for me and my virgin status."

She heard Kurt let out a groan from behind her, but Cooper just laughed. "How right you are!" Will said, putting an arm around Cooper's shoulders. "She read you like a book, man," he joked as the girl limped up to Rachel. She was a tiny little thing with blonde hair. Rachel thought that, even without her heels, she might actually have been taller than her. "This is April, our lead singer," Will introduced. "So Rhodes, what do you think?"

April looked Rachel over from head to toe pursing her lips slightly. "She's a baby. Too innocent for this group, but the crowd's going to love her. As long as she can sing, I'm good with having her represent me."

"Trust me, she can sing," Will confirmed, giving Rachel a smile. "Why don't we all head backstage and get ready? We still have to go over the set list and show you where you're going to be standing onstage. Why don't you three find some space out here? One of us will come grab you if we need anything," Will said, putting an arm around Rachel's shoulders and leading her towards the backstage area.

Sam, Kurt, and Quinn headed over to the bar area, trying to find some space, none of them noticing Puck Finn, and their dates walk into the bar.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Feel free to tell me how much you hate me for this chapter. I hate myself for writing it as well. But fear not—all will be resolved in a few chapters. My guess is I'm going to have Puckleberry **_**officially**_** get together in about tenish chapters (and by that I mean decide to be in a relationship, though they'll get together before that). **

**Also, don't fret—Sugar and Marley will be out of this story once this night is over. They're just minor characters. They might show up again once or twice, but only from a glance. That's it.**

Finn managed to find a group of chairs by the stage, helping Puck into one. He had always been a useless drunk, needing help with everything after he had a few drinks in him. Marley slid right up to Puck once he was sitting, but he was too drunk to even notice her. That also meant he was too drunk to push her away.

Sugar sat next to Puck while Finn headed up to the bar to get them all drinks. He had planned on just getting Puck water, but he demanded a beer, and Finn knew not to piss off a drunken Puck. He walked up to the bar, ordering four beers from the hot but scary Latina bartender.

A few seats down, Quinn was sipping a virgin strawberry daiquiri while she recounted the entire Finn-Quinn saga to Sam and Kurt as well as Blaine, the other bartender. Blaine had been mostly ignoring the other patrons, making sure the three of them were well supplied with whatever they wanted. Quinn was pretty sure they could order whatever they wanted and he would get it for them, no questions asked.

"Look Quinn," Blaine said, refilling Kurt's diet coke. "You have to make yourself seem desirable. The reason this Finn never notices you is because he sees you as a little sister, and a little sister is the last person he's going to want to sleep with."

"How am I supposed to make myself look desirable when he doesn't even notice me when I'm three feet from him?" she asked, pointing to Finn walking away from the bar, beers in hand.

"Find some hot piece of ass and date him. Flaunt that bitch in front of the dumbass fake brother and show him if he wants you, he better make his move because you won't be off the market for long. He'll be begging you to go out with him."

"And you know this works how?"

"It's how I got my ex-boyfriend to ask me out. I proved to him I was more than just some goofy guy with a guitar and curly hair. Now, we ended up breaking up when I caught him fucking some cop from San Diego, but it does work."

"Boyfriend?" Kurt asked, his ears perking up. The cute bartender just happened to be gay as well?

Quinn giggled, covering her mouth slightly. "Blaine, allow me to introduce you to the cute, single, and incredibly gay Kurt Hummel," she said, picking up her glass. "Sam and I are going to try and get a spot closer to the stage for when Rachel comes out. You two have fun," she teased, leaving Kurt and Blaine alone.

"Not subtle that one, is she?" Blaine asked, leaning forward on the bar a bit.

"From what I've seen of the two days I've known her, not at all. She says what she wants, though she has a good heart. At least she seems to. For all I know, she left me alone here with the first gay guy I've met besides Rachel's dads because she wants to make out with Sam."

"After she spent half an hour spilling her love for the idiot playing grab ass with some drunken slut? I doubt it. She's trying to play matchmaker between the only two gay guys she's ever met. Not that I'm complaining. It gives me a chance to talk to you without her analyzing everything I say," Blaine teased.

Kurt laughed, reaching over to swat him in the shoulder. "You, Mr. Bartender, are a shameless flirt. You're just lucky I happen to love it."

"Anderson. It's Mr. Anderson." He looked up as a group of drunken frat guys called him over. He would have let Santana handle them, but he knew how she got around rowdy groups of guys. "Look, I need to get back to work, but look me up on Facebook…assuming you have a Facebook?"

"Everyone has a Facebook."

"Great. Look me up. I'd love to talk to you when I'm not covered in beer and being shouted at by drunken students or hit on by oblivious sorority girls." Blaine took Kurt's hand, slipping him something. "I'll be seeing you, Kurt."

Kurt watched Blaine walk away, admiring the slight swivel of his hips. He looked down into his hand, seeing the folded up piece of paper Blaine had given him. He unfolded it, seeing a number scrawled on it.

Blaine had given him his phone number.

xxxxx

"No, I can't do this. I'm going to be sick." Rachel was pacing back and forth as Will attempted to calm her down.

"Rach, stop freaking out. You're going to kick ass out there. You saw how my idiot band members reacted when they saw you—how do you think they're going to react when they hear you sing? Better yet, how do you think a room full of drunk and horny frat rats are going to react when they see you belting out some killer tunes? They're going to love you."

Rachel shook her head. "No, I can't. I don't know what to do. I've never gone on stage feeling so unprepared. I'm not ready for this, Will."

"Do you need me to get my brother to bring her a drink?" Cooper asked. "I can text him and tell him to bring her a shot of something strong?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, that would probably make me be actually sick instead of feeling like I'm going to be sick. But thank you anyways," she said, giving Cooper a small smile.

"Look, you're going to knock them dead. Just relax and try not to fall on your ass in those shoes," Will teased, kissing her forehead.

Rachel took a few deep breaths, glancing out at the audience from behind the curtains. She was hoping to find a glimpse of Kurt. She spotted Quinn and Sam standing together. Quinn was in tears while Sam rubbed her back, glaring at something in the distance. Rachel followed Sam's line of sight and was met by a very unpleasant scene.

Finn was seated in a chair, eating the face off some girl Rachel had never seen. He didn't even seem to be aware that Quinn was on the same planet as him, let alone the same bar. Next to him was Puck who had some scantily clad skank on his lap. She was leaning in close, whispering something in his ear while his hands proceeded to drop lower and lower on her waist. The girl leaned in to kiss him, and Puck didn't even bother to push her away.

Rachel let out a gasp, backing away. She felt the tears forming in her eyes. It was like Jesse St. James all over again. She couldn't believe it. She had _trusted_ Puck, even though everyone told her not to. She thought he was different, that he'd gotten a bad rap. He was so sweet and kind with her. Quinn had been right—it was all an act.

Will sensed the change in her demeanor, putting an arm around her shoulders. "What is it, diva? What's wrong?"

Rachel, determined not to cry, took a deep breath before turning her face to his. "Can you please get Kurt?" she asked in a small, timid voice. "I need him."

It took Bryan a minute to find Kurt, who was still sitting at the bar in the hopes of pulling Blaine into another flirting session. All Bryan had to say was Rachel and Kurt followed him. He found her backstage, seated on a folding chair, her face in her hands.

"Diva babe, what is it? What happened?"

Rachel just shook her head, unable to form words. "I feel like such an idiot," she mumbled.

"I would say that's because you are, but I get the feeling that this isn't the time." Kurt knelt beside Rachel, his hands resting on her knees. "Whose ass am I kicking? Better yet, whose ass am I getting Quinn's brother to kick?"

"His own." Kurt paused before pulling Rachel into a hug, kissing her cheek. "God, I'm such a dumbass. I thought he was different, that he wasn't an asshole even though everyone kept saying he was. He told me I could trust him, and like the clueless girl that I am, I believed him. He's out there sucking face and playing grab ass with some STD-filled skank."

"So you're sitting back here crying?" Kurt questioned. "The Rachel Berry I know doesn't let some ass make a fool out of her. She doesn't sit backstage crying her eyes out over some idiot who doesn't realize what he has. Do you know what she does? She gets up on stage and shows him what a mistake he made while looking fabulous. Do you know why she does that? Because she's Rachel Motherfucking Berry wearing Alexander McQueen, and no one messes with that bitch."

Rachel couldn't help but laugh. "You're right. Fuck him, he's not worth ruining my makeup over."

Kurt grinned. "That's my girl." He helped her to her feet, giving her one last kiss on the cheek. "You know what would be perfect for this moment, and I can't believe the words are coming out of my mouth? Taylor Swift. Blast that bitch."

"But I'm supposed to be singing Tom Petty," Rachel protested.

Kurt ignored her, walking over to Will. He was whispering something to him. Will glanced out at the crowd, his face growing serious. He nodded his head, giving Kurt thumbs up before walking over to the rest of the band, talking to them quietly as Kurt walked back over to Rachel.

"TSwift is a go. You got this, love. I believe in you, Will believes in you, and I know you believe in you." He gave her one last hug. "Kick some ass out there."

xxxxx

Halfway into his second beer was when Marley slid onto his lap. At that point, he couldn't even tell up from down, let alone push away some girl he had no interest in. She took that as the go ahead to start playfully whispering in his ear.

Puck's head was spinning as she leaned close. She smelled wrong. It was a cross between cigarettes and cheap beer, nothing like Rachel. Rachel, who smelled like orchids and freshly cut grass. Rachel, who was out on a date with Will right now. Hell, they were probably already in bed at this point. He didn't even know if she was really a virgin or if she thought that was something guys liked hearing.

When Marley leaned in to kiss him, he wasn't sure if it was the beer or his thoughts of Rachel that made him kiss her. All he knew was that he was kissing her. She wasn't very good—she was sloppy and used way too much tongue, but he was too drunk to push her away.

His hands slid lower as he gripped her ass through her jeans, pulling her close. He heard the faint sounds of the band introducing themselves, but he wasn't paying attention to it right now. All he could think about was Marley kissing him and how much he wished she was Rachel.

_Once upon a time a few mistakes ago__  
I was in your sights, you got me alone__  
You found me__  
You found me__  
You found me-e-e-e-e_

The band had started playing, and the girl was pretty fucking awesome. He felt like he recognized the voice, but that could have been the alcohol clouding his thoughts. Whoever she was, her voice was beautiful.

He felt someone hit his shoulder, but he ignored it, choosing to continue kissing Marley. She seemed delighted by that, wrapping her arms too tightly around his neck.

I guess you didn't care, and I guess I liked that

_And when I fell hard you took a step back__  
Without me, without me, without me-e-e-e-e_

And he's long gone when he's next to me

_And I realize the blame is on me_

"Puck!" someone shouted, hitting him harder. Puck pulled away from Marley, groaning loudly.

"Stop yelling," he whined, grabbing his head.

"You fucking idiot! Look in front of you!" Finn shouted, pointing at the stage. Puck looked up, his mouth dropping. There was Rachel, looking like a motherfucking rock goddess. She'd colored streaks of her hair and was swaying to the beat of the music. Oh yeah, she was also staring right at him, a look of pure hatred in her eyes as she wailed the next part of the song.

Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in

_So shame on me now__  
You flew me to places I've never been__  
'Til you put me down, oh__  
I knew you were trouble when you walked in__  
So shame on me now__  
Flew me to places I've never been__  
Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground_

"Dude, I guess she didn't have a date with Will."

Oh, oh

_Trouble, trouble, trouble__  
Oh, oh__  
Trouble, trouble, trouble_

Rachel was doing her best to concentrate on the song and not on the scene in front of her. Puck was staring at her, his mouth wide open, the girl he'd been openly making out with seconds earlier forgotten. She was staring up at Rachel like she wanted to kill her. Finn was looking horrified, like he'd majorly fucked up.

And then there was Quinn. She was jumping up and down as Rachel sang, pointing to Finn during the chorus. She was mouthing the words along with Rachel. Sam joined her, laughing as he did so.

Okay, next verse. Rachel closed her eyes, reminding herself not to fuck up and trip. Curse Kurt and his love of seeing her in sky high shoes.

No apologies, he'll never see you cry

_Pretends he doesn't know, that he's the reason why__  
You're drowning__  
You're drowning__  
You're drowning_

There were cat calls from the back of the bar. Rachel glanced up, seeing Brody and a few other football players there. When Brody saw her looking, he grinned and flashed a crude gesture in her direction. Rachel just rolled her eyes at him, grinding her hips against the microphone stand as she did so. That earned her loud cheers from every male in the place, as well as a few females.

Now I heard you moved on from whispers on the street

_A new notch in your belt is all I'll ever be__  
And now I see__  
Now I see__  
Now I see_

Rachel turned her body to Puck as she sang the next part, her voice filled with disdain as she spat out each line. His face was filled with pain as she sang, obviously horrified with how the night had changed.

Rachel glanced backstage and saw Kurt singing with April, who seemed to be grinning and actually giving Rachel thumbs up.

He was long gone when he met me

_And I realize the joke is on me, hey_

Rachel pulled the microphone out of the stand before lifting her leg up, kicking the stand over forcefully. She saw Quinn grin and laugh as she danced with Sam, the two of them singing along the whole time. Rachel was pretty sure she couldn't love anyone more than she loved Quinn right now.

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

_So shame on me now__  
You flew me to places I've never been__  
'Til you put me down, oh__  
I knew you were trouble when you walked in__  
So shame on me now__  
Flew me to places I've never been__  
Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground_

Oh, oh

_Trouble, trouble, trouble__  
Oh, oh__  
Trouble, trouble, trouble_

Rachel fell to the floor on her knees, belting the lines of the song into the microphone. People were crowding at the edge of the stage—most of them guys. She leaned forward, singing into one guy's face before pushing him away lightly as she got to her feet again.

Rachel walked over to Will, giving him a wink before heading past him and walking up to Cooper, singing the next part directly to him.

And the saddest fear comes creeping in

_That you never loved me__  
Or her__  
Or anyone__  
Or anything__  
Yeah_

Rachel snarled out the lines, Puck's face in her mind. She didn't think it was possible for her to hate someone so much right now. She felt as though her heart had been ripped out of her chest stomped into the ground by some asshole, but singing Taylor Swift directly to said asshole seemed to be helping.

She turned back to the crowd, singing the rest of the song directly to Puck. She watched his face slowly drop, a smug sense of triumph filling her body.

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

_So shame on me now__  
You flew me to places I've never been__  
'Til you put me down, oh__  
I knew you were trouble when you walked in__  
So shame on me now__  
Flew me to places I've never been__  
Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground_

Oh, oh

_Trouble, trouble, trouble__  
Oh, oh__  
Trouble, trouble, trouble_

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

_Trouble, trouble, trouble__  
I knew you were trouble when you walked in__  
Trouble, trouble, trouble_

Rachel finished the song, panting slightly. She grinned as the crowd cheered for her. Will gave her thumbs up while she heard Kurt yelling loudly from backstage that no one fucked with Alexander McQueen.

After another two songs, the band decided to take a break before finishing the rest of their set. Rachel headed backstage, taking the water from Kurt before drinking it quickly.

"Did you see his face?" Kurt laughed, throwing his hands in the air triumphantly. "He looked like you'd kneed him in the balls. What an asshole, playing tonsil hockey with that slut right in front of you. She doesn't even compare to you, love. You're class, she's trash." Kurt hugged her tightly. "You're McQueen, and she's Wal-Mart brand. He majorly downgraded by hooking up with her."

Rachel smiled at Kurt, hugging him again. "You always know how to make me feel better, don't you?"

"What are best friends for?"

Rachel smiled, taking a deep breath. "I think I need some air, though. You know, clear my head before I need to go back onstage. Let Will know I didn't ditch him—if he wants to go back on early, I'm just sitting outside."

Kurt nodded, watching Rachel disappear out the side door. She sat on the curb, closing her eyes as she relaxed, trying to force all the thoughts of Puck and Jesse and high school out of her mind. When she saw Puck kiss that girl, she felt like she was right back in high school, that she was the invisible girl who no one liked. Guys never asked her out. They preferred the sluttier girls who they knew would put out instead of the sweet, sensitive virgins like Rachel. Even with Kurt, high school had been a lonely place.

Then she'd met Jesse. He was a senior when she was a sophomore. He was everything she wanted in a guy. He was smart, funny, and talented. He was driven—he knew what he wanted, and he'd stop at nothing until he got it. Rachel met him right after her and Kurt 'broke up'. They'd both reached for the same piece of sheet music at the music shop and started talking. She found out he went to Carmel High and was the lead of their Glee club. Of course, Kurt would never forgive her if he found out she was seeing the lead of their rivals.

Rachel dated Jesse secretly for five months before Kurt caught them talking at the mall. Rachel told him Jesse had just asked her on a date and expected him to be mad at her betrayal. Instead, he was overjoyed, glad his best friend had someone interested in her. She wanted to tell him the whole truth, but she knew he'd never forgive her if he found out how long she'd been lying to him.

But everything went to hell after that. Rachel told Kurt Jesse had gotten handsy instead of the real truth. She put up walls around herself after that, refusing to let herself get hurt like that again. And it had worked fine until Puck came into her life and broke down those walls like a wrecking ball. He let himself into her life, and Rachel felt like she could open up to someone for the first time. She let those walls down and let him in. She trusted him, and he proved that he wasn't someone who could be trusted. He was a jerk, just like Jesse.

"Rachel?"

Rachel hadn't realized she was crying until a few tears fell onto the back of her hand. She hastily wiped her eyes, smearing her makeup in the process. She felt Puck sit next to her, wishing he would just fuck off and leave her alone.

"What do you want?" she asked, not trying to hide the hatred in her voice.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," he mumbled, slurring his words a bit. Of course he was drunk, not that that excused his horrific behavior in the bar moments earlier.

"I'm fine," she lied, her voice a bit short. "Watching the guy who promised I could trust him dry hump some whore in the middle of a bar while I'm up on stage trying not to throw up is really fun. Thanks for that," she said sarcastically, though it just came off as sad and bitter.

Puck felt horrible. He wished there was some way he could make things better, that he could take back what he'd just done to Rachel, but there wasn't. He was going to have to live with his mistakes and what they had cost him. Right now, it looked as though they had cost him Rachel.

"I'm really sorry," he mumbled, not sure what else to say.

"Sorry is probably the last thing I want to hear right now, because you could be sorry for about a thousand different things. What are you sorry for, Noah? Sorry for taking that girl out, sorry for playing grab ass in front of me, sorry you got caught, or sorry for leading me on and making me think I had a chance with someone like you? Because right now, I'm sorry I ever met you."

Puck shrank back at her words like he'd been slapped in the face. That was the last thing he wanted to hear from her. He wanted to think there was some chance that Rachel would forgive him for his fuck up, but that didn't seem possible at the moment.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," he said quietly, reaching over to place his hand on her knee. Rachel pulled away from him, not wanting him to touch her. "I didn't mean to. I thought you were on a date tonight and I was jealous. I let my imagination run wild. I know that's not an excuse, but it's the truth."

"Why didn't you just ask me? God, you're like a high school girl. 'I think Jared likes me, but he's flirting with Ally, so I'm going to date his best friend Greg to make him jealous so he'll realize he likes me'. If you'd just asked me point blank if I was going on a date tonight, we could have avoided all this mess. This is what happens when you take the words of gossip instead of going straight to the source and finding out the truth."

"But I did," he protested. "I asked you to change our date to tonight and you lied and said you were doing something with Quinn."

"I _am_. She's inside and has been the whole time. We came here after she and Kurt gave me a rock star makeover. I never had a date. I haven't thought of anyone except you since this afternoon. I wanted to think you were different, Noah. You were sweet and kind and made me feel special when we were together, but you just fucked everything up. I don't know if I can ever trust you again."

The door opened and Will came out, looking between Rachel and Puck. "You okay?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at Rachel.

Rachel wiped her eyes again, nodding her head. "Peachy. We going back on?" she asked. Will nodded his head. "Let me get Kurt to fix my face first. I don't want to go up there looking like a raccoon," she said, rising to her feet. She walked away from Puck without another word, heading inside.

She didn't even glance back at him as she let the door slam behind her.

**Song: **_**I Knew You Were Trouble**_** by Taylor Swift**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: OMG guys, thanks for all your reviews! You all are fantastic and I love you tons! Two things: Rachel really is a virgin (I promise that), and you'll be finding out more about what happened between Rachel and Jesse as the story goes on in little pieces until he finally makes his appearance. Also, I know Finn seems like an asshole now, but so is Puck. **

**Oh, and my other stories will be updated soon. I've just had a lot of work lately and haven't had a chance to write much. I had a bunch of chapters of this story already written which is why I'm able to update this. I expect **_**Ever the Same**_** to be updated by next weekend. Same goes for **_**Tears in Heavern**_**.**

"Okay no, you _cannot_ go back onstage looking like that," Kurt said as soon as Rachel walked back into the bar. "You look like a drowned rat." He let out a sigh. "I told you not to ruin your makeup over that boy. Now sit and be silent. I need to work my magic."

Rachel took a seat in the same folding chair she'd been sitting in earlier while Kurt went to work, riding her eyes of any makeup before completely reapplying eye shadow, mascara, and eyeliner. He went for a sexy-yet-innocent look, using lots of black along with some glitter to highlight her eyes. He redid the dark red lips before tussling her hair a little, giving it purposely messy look.

"So, did I tell you I met someone?" he asked as he worked, trying to get Rachel to stop thinking about the jackass related to her roommate.

"Oh no, please tell me you didn't. I do not want a repeat of the Valentine's Day incident," she groaned.

"Hush diva. He's actually gay. Plus, he gave me his number and asked me to hang out in the future when he's not working."

"Not working?" she asked.

"He's a bartender here. Totally cute. Shamelessly flirted with me while he should have been working, plus he gave me free soda. Rach, I think I'm in love."

"You just met the guy who, by the way, is probably way to old. Like Will Schuester too old."

"I heard my name. I hope you two are saying how devishly handsome I am," Will laughed, coming up behind Kurt with Cooper and Bryan.

"Oh, we were just complaining about this jerk who used to help our musical director in high school. Complete asshole. Never helped me with anything," Rachel teased, grinning at Will. "Kurt was telling me about the hot, gay bartender he was flirting up a storm with earlier who I said is probably way too old and way out of his league."

"Blaine?" Cooper asked.

Kurt turned his head, just missing putting lipstick all over Rachel's cheek. "You know him?"

Cooper let out a chuckle. "'Course I do. He's my younger brother."

"Details. Spill. Now."

Cooper laughed again. "If Rachel gives me her number I will," he teased. Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "Alright, I'll settle for your last name so I can stalk the hell out of you on Facebook."

"Creep. It's Berry, now we demand details on the hottie bartender Kurt claims he's in love with."

Cooper laughed again. "Alright, alright. Blaine's my younger brother. He's 21, almost 22, and the nicest guy you'll meet—I'm not just saying that because he's my brother. He's working here to try and earn enough so he can go to school at UCLA—right now he's doing night classes at the community college. Doesn't date a lot, especially after his ex fucked him over. 100% gay and proud of it. Our parents kicked him to the curb when he came out, so he moved in with me instead. Our folks refuse to speak to me since I took Blaine in, but they can go fuck themselves for all I care. I love my brother. He's a great guy."

Rachel smiled at Kurt. "Seems nice, and if he's related to Coop, then he has to be super cute," she teased, standing up once Kurt had finished her makeup. "Though he's bordering on pervy old," she laughed, poking Kurt lightly in the shoulder. Kurt gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her he'd be with Quinn and Sam. Rachel nodded her head, walking over to join Cooper and Will as they waited to go back on.

Puck had walked back in, catching a glimpse of Rachel poking some guy playfully in the ribs. He was standing close to her, laughing at something she had said. He felt his fists clench and he wanted to knock the guy out, but a hard pinch on his arm distracted him.

"Ow! Quinn, what the fuck?" he groaned, rubbing the area of his arm where his sister had pinched him.

"Idiot!" she yelled, hitting him on the side of the head. "Dumbass! Stupid, slutty boy! I have a lot more to say, but I think you get the point." Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stood in front of him. Sam and Kurt stood a few feet behind her, covering their mouths as they snickered at the scene unfolding before them.

"Yeah, yeah, I know I fucked up."

"Fucked up? You more than fucked up. You hurt my roommate, the same one you convinced you shared something special with this afternoon. Was the booty grabbing with a strange chick that's not my roommate part of your plan all along or did you just get horny and remember that Rachel wasn't going to put out for you?" She moved in to hit him again.

Puck reached up, stopping her arm before it made contact with his skin. "Stop! I screwed things up and I know I did. I just…I got jealous and thought she was seeing some guy tonight, okay? And Finn wouldn't let me leave the stupid fucking date so I got wasted in my car instead of being forced to listen to Marley go on and on about something I don't give two fucks about. I know I shouldn't have kissed her, but I was drunk and wasn't thinking. Rachel hates me right now. I don't need my own sister beating the shit out of me on top of that. Anyways, you're supposed to be on my side."

"When you act like a pig I will never be on your side." She took the chance to smack him on the side of the head again. "You and Finn both! You're openly groping girls in the middle of the bar and fail to notice your own sister standing a few feet away! I'm so ashamed to admit I'm actually related to you. Thank god I have Sam and Kurt to show me what true gentlemen are like."

"Kurt's gay!"

"So? That doesn't make him any less of a gentleman. He was here to wipe away Rachel's tears backstage before she had to go on and sing her heart out. Tears you _caused_, I should add. She was so nervous getting up there. She kept saying how she didn't feel prepared and she was going to make a fool of herself, but it seems like the only people who made fools of themselves were you and your sad excuse for a best friend."

"Look, I'm sorry," Puck groaned, his head pounding at this point. He was sick of people yelling at him and hitting him. He knew he fucked up. He didn't need everyone telling him that. "You telling me I'm a fuck up dumb shit that should be castrated is not going to help things. I need to fix things with Rachel."

Kurt stepped up beside Quinn, shaking his head. "No, you've done enough for tonight. The best thing for you to do is let her be. I know you like her and you made a mistake, but the last thing she needs after seeing you swap spit with some tramp is for you to make her talk things over again. What Rachel really needs is to go back to her room and sleep. Come find her tomorrow and beg for her forgiveness then."

"But I need—"

"We don't care what you need," Sam said, standing next to Quinn with his arms crossed over his chest. "You're not our friend. Rachel is, so we're going to protect her. I don't care if you're some football star who thinks he owns the school. The fact is, you fucked Rachel over. Quinn spent all last night telling her to be careful around you, yet you somehow convinced her you were worth a shot. Seems to me that she should have listened to her roommate instead of the slutty brother."

"Look, _bro_," Puck sneered. "I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but you don't tell me what to do. No one does. So if I want to talk to Rachel tonight, I damn well will."

"No, you won't," Quinn snapped. "Look Puck, I love you, but you're being a total asshole right now. These are my friends and you've been rude as fuck to them. Apologize to Sam and Kurt, and then sit the fuck down. I'm going to find Finn and have him take you home and inform him that you're banned from our dorm until Rachel says it's okay for you to breathe the same air as her."

Quinn took Sam's hand, pulling him away with her. Kurt gave Puck a look before turning and following them over to the left of the stage, all of them waiting anxiously for Rachel to come back on. Puck sank into his seat while Marley slid up next to him. He ignored her, determined to be on his best behavior for Rachel, even if she was still pissed.

Brody came up behind him, clapping Puck on the shoulder. He visibly tensed, not wanting to deal with him now. "What the fuck you want, Weston?"

"Dude, you never told me your freshman lover could sing. Dayum, she's got one killer set of pipes on her. Pair those with that banging dress she's got on and I think I found my dream girl."

"Back off. She's not interested."

"What, and you think she wants you instead? I think she made it very clear that she fucking hates your guts. From what I can tell, she's right for the picking. Sure, she seemed into you this afternoon, but she just gave you the finger and a giant 'fuck you' through song. All bets are off. I'm on the hunt now."

"I swear to god, if you come within five inches of her—"

"You'll what? Beat me to a pulp? Face it, Puckerman—you don't scare me anymore. You've got nothing but empty threats. We both know you're off the team if you get busted for another fight again, and I'm pretty sure coach would let them arrest your ass if he found out you beat up a teammate over a girl—again. Face it, all you can do is watch me flirt up a storm with the barely-legal freshman who no longer wants anything to do with you."

Brody smirked at Puck before walking away, finding a spot very close to the stage. Puck saw him eye Quinn, winking in her direction.

Finn took a seat beside Puck, ignoring Sugar who was following him around. "I fucking hate that guy," Puck muttered under his breath.

"Let it go," Finn said, shaking his head. "He's not worth getting busted over. He's just some cocky, arrogant asshole who only wants what you have—he's only interested in Rachel because you liked her first. It's a repeat of Kitty. All you have to do is—who is that asshole putting his hands all over Quinn?"

Puck looked up, rolling his eyes. "I think she said his name was Sam. I don't know—my head hurts."

"And what the _fuck_ is she wearing?" Finn seethed, watching the guy put his hands on her exposed stomach as he held her close. "You actually let her go out dressed like that?"

"I don't fucking control what she wears. I'm not her dad. She's eighteen, Finn. She can wear whatever she wants. Plus, if I try and tell her what to wear, she's going to tell me to fuck off and keep wearing what she wears. You know that as well as I do."

"Yeah, well I still don't think she should be showing off her stomach and allowing some wannabe-surfer to grope her in public."

"He's not groping her. Besides, don't you think it's the pot calling the kettle black after you and Sugar earlier?"

"I'm not an eighteen-year-old girl. We have to protect her, Puck. She's so innocent. She doesn't realize what guys want. We do—we're those guys, after all."

"Yeah, whatever," Puck muttered, staring up at the stage as Rachel and the band came back out. He ignored Marley's advances, focusing only on Rachel. He heard Marley sigh loudly multiple times in an attempt to get his attention, but he could have cared less. Rachel ignored him completely, sending a wink over to Quinn instead. Rachel didn't bother with any kind of introduction, going straight into the song instead.

_I wake up every evening with a big smile on my face  
And it never feels out of place  
And you're still probably working at a 9 to 5 pace  
I wonder how bad that tastes_

Rachel grinned as she saw Quinn cheering at the song choice. It had been Will's idea to go with another 'fuck off' song. Rachel had quickly explained Quinn's brother and the gropefest that had happened moments before Rachel took the stage. Will had been more than happy to kick the guy when he was already down. Cooper, who was enjoying flirting with Rachel just to make her blush, was eager to help.

Rachel, who had been ignoring Puck while onstage, decided to sing the chorus of the song directly to him. She pivoted her body, facing him once more as she belted out the lyrics.

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell_

Brody, who was right at the edge of the stage, was laughing as Rachel sang to Puck, clearly amused by the turn of events. He shot her a grin before sticking his tongue out in a very suggestive manner. Rachel casually gave him the finger, which only made him laugh harder.

_Now where's your picket fence, love?  
And where's that shiny car?  
And did it ever get you far?  
You never seemed so tense, love  
I've never seen you fall so hard  
Do you know where you are?_

Quinn was jumping up and down as she danced with Sam and Kurt, not remembering a time when she had had so much fun. Sure, Finn was being an ass and she'd already cried once tonight, but this was making up for it. Rachel's songs, which were aimed at her brother, were also perfect for Quinn's feelings towards Finn. She was singing along with Rachel, screaming the words at the top of her lungs.

Finn was looking over at Quinn, watching her have the time of her life with two guys who weren't him. No, he didn't like her—Quinn was like the sister he never had. He wanted to protect her, and her jumping around in a bar with two guys was sending the wrong message to everyone around her. He could see all the drunken frat guys eyeing her, and he knew what sick, perverted thoughts were running through their heads.

Assholes.

_And truth be told I miss you  
And truth be told I'm lying_

Rachel directed the chorus to Puck once again. This time, she walked around the stage, leaning against Cooper as she sang. The whole crowd cheered as the watched her move. She may have been pulling out all the suggestive dance moves she knew, but there was still something very pure and innocent about the way she moved.

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell_

_If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well  
Then he's a fool, you're just as well, hope it gives you hell  
I hope it gives you hell_

Blaine, who was busy making drinks for a group of sorority girls, glanced up at the stage at the girl singing. He knew this was Rachel—Kurt had mentioned she was filling in for April tonight. Blaine glanced over at Kurt, who was dancing like a fool with Quinn. Blaine knew it was wrong of him to like someone so young, but he couldn't help that Kurt was adorable. He just hoped he called him and didn't make Blaine look like an idiot for giving him his number in the first place.

_Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself  
Yeah, where did it all go wrong?  
But the list goes on and on_

_Truth be told I miss you  
And truth be told I'm lying_

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell_

_If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well  
Then he's a fool, you're just as well, hope it gives you hell_

Rachel reached out her hands, bending down so she was close to the crowd that had gathered at the edge of the stage. Brody grabbed her hand and she sang directly to him. He was staring at her with hungry eyes, making her feel a little uncomfortable. But Rachel refused to show it, keeping up with her stage presence the whole song.

_Now you'll never see what you've done to me  
You can take back your memories, they're no good to me  
And here's all your lies, you can look me in the eyes  
With the sad, sad look that you wear so well_

Rachel stood back up, letting go of Brody's hand. She stomped her foot on the ground a few times as she sang, twisting her body to the music. Her hair flew in her face but she didn't care. She was having fun despite the horrible turn of events earlier.

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell_

_If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well  
Then he's a fool, you're just as well, hope it gives you hell_

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell  
(Hope it gives you hell!)  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell  
(Hope it gives you hell!)__  
__When you hear this song and you sing along, well you'll never tell  
And you're the fool, I'm just as well, hope it gives you hell  
When you hear this song I hope that __it will give you hell  
You can sing along, I hope that it puts you through hell_

"Go to hell," she muttered into the microphone after the song finished, staring straight at Puck. With that, she walked off the stage, the rest of the band following her, the entire bar cheering as they disappeared.

Puck had never felt like such shit in his entire life. He'd also never pissed off someone like Rachel Berry before.

**Song: **_**Gives You Hell**_** by The All-American Rejects.**

**Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Quick note—Will and Cooper aren't 'creepy old me', even if it seems that way. I know on the show Will is their teacher, but here he's a grad student in his 20's. Plus, neither of them have any sinful intentions towards Rachel. They're merely teasing her, and due to Rachel's virgin status, that's how they choose to tease her. We'll see them again in the future (but as no threat to Puckleberry, I promise!)**

**Also, I'm trying to decide which way Quinn's going to go in terms of guys. I'd love to hear your suggestions of who you want her with! And I know it seems like she's being harsh on Puck, but right now she seems him as a jerk who hurt her roommate, not her brother. Later on, you'll see more into their relationship and why Quinn instantly jumped to Rachel's defense (a girl she's know a little more than a day) instead of siding with her brother.**

Rachel was laughing as Sam ran with her on his back through the parking lot, her shoes in her hand instead of on her feet. The night had mostly been a success with the exception of watching the boy she thought was into her make out with some skank.

After heading off stage, the entire band had congratulated her and promised she'd be the first one they'd call if they needed someone to fill in for them again. Will promised he'd be in touch in the future. "You're a star, Rach. I'm getting on that wagon before someone else does," he'd told her before giving her a kiss on the cheek and leaving with the rest of the band. Cooper had even expressed interest in possibly doing something together again in the future, giving her his number.

Quinn and Kurt were walking behind Sam and Rachel, both of them with amused looks on their faces. Rachel was cheering at the top of her lungs as Sam held onto her legs tightly, making sure she didn't fall off his back. "Careful, Sammy!" she giggled as he nearly ran into a parked car. "I'd prefer to end the night in my bed and not the emergency room."

"If you wanted to be safe you'd be walking to the car instead of letting my ass carry you."

"Laziness trumps being safe," she laughed, kissing his cheek. "Faster!" she ordered as he made a beeline for her car while Rachel kept singing _Gives You Hell_. "God, did you see his face when I told him to go to hell?" she asked as Sam let her down. "Priceless!"

Kurt and Quinn walked up, both of them laughing. "It was nice to see someone finally put my dumbass brother in his place. He's spent too many years thinking he rules the world and can get whatever the fuck he wants. I think this is the first time he truly wanted something and couldn't get it."

"Well, he doesn't deserve me. Not presently, at least. He fucked up and I'm not in the forgiving mood at the moment, even if I am on cloud nine."

"You shouldn't. He's an asshole and I don't want him fucking over my roommate like he's done with all my friends in the past. I like you, Rachel. I don't want to lose you as a friend because my brother's a dick."

Rachel smiled as she jumped off Sam's back, throwing her arms around Quinn's neck and hugging her tightly. "Don't worry, babe. I'd never stop being your friend because of your brother. You're the first real girl friend I've ever had, and I'm not about to give that up because of some smelly boy," she giggled.

"Alright, enough with the girl talk. We need to get your asses home before the frat boys get out here and try to worm their way into your beds." A pickup truck pulled up beside them, the windows down and the music blaring. "Too late," Kurt muttered as Brody stuck his head out the window, a giant grin on his face.

"Whoo, Rachel!" he called. "Damn, that was some hot shit you were pulling on stage. Nice moves," he teased, his voice flirty.

Rachel shifted uncomfortably, feeling shy all of a sudden with the attention she was getting from Brody and the attention she'd been getting from him since she met him. What was it with football guys hitting on her incessantly? "Glad you enjoyed the show," she said with a noncommittal tone.

"How about you come back to my apartment and give me a private lesson on those moves? Better yet, bring your hot roommate and we'll make it a three way show."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the offer, but Quinn and I are going to bed the same way we woke up—_alone_."

Brody let out a laugh, his head tilting back as he did so. "Ouch, I think you hurt my feelings. Guess I'll have to go home and cry myself to sleep while I curl into bed all by myself."

"Please, you don't strike me as the kind of guy who ever goes to bed alone. Why don't you go find one of the plastered chicks in the bar and convince her your penis is made of gold or some shitty line like that? Then you'll have someone else to wipe away your tears," Rachel taunted. That just caused Brody to laugh harder. Sam gave Rachel's arm a tug, trying to get her in the car. "I'm tired and my roadie crew is trying to get me to safety before the paparazzi starts hounding me. See ya, Brod." Rachel gave him a small wave before climbing into the backseat of her car. Brody's eyes lingered on where she had just been standing a moment longer than they should have before he drove off, his music still playing loudly.

Quinn was seated next to her while the boys were in the front seat. Sam had offered to drive them back, so he carefully pulled out of the spot while Quinn and Rachel laughed, talking amongst one another.

"I thought my _brother_ was an ass. Who was that guy?" she asked Rachel.

"Brody something or other. I forget his last name, to be honest. He's on the football team with your brother, and they seem to want whatever the other has. Since I was with your brother this afternoon, I think Brody's convinced himself he has to have me now, just so your brother can't. He was _delighted_ during my entire 'fuck Noah Puckerman' performance tonight, though I'm not quite sure why he was even there. Better yet, why were any of those assholes there?"

"No idea. When you feel like speaking to my brother again, please ask him that. But don't feel the need to talk to him anytime soon—he's been banned from our room until you say it's okay."

"You didn't need to do that, Q. He's your brother—he shouldn't be banned just because your roommate threw a small tantrum. I mean, I shouldn't have gotten mad. It's not like we were together or anything," she said. Even if that was true, watching him kiss another girl like that had still hurt the same as if they _had_ been together.

"No, I do. He's a fuck up loser who needs to learn being a slut has consequences. Just because he's some big football star doesn't mean he can screw with girls like they're disposable. Make him work to get back in your good graces."

"Don't worry, she will," Kurt said. "Rachel doesn't let guys walk all over her like that. She walked out of some dude ten minutes into their first date because he tried to get under her shirt in the movies. That also happened to be their last date," he laughed.

Rachel laughed nervously, shifting a little in her seat as she looked out the window. Quinn and Kurt were acting like she needed to torture Noah for what he had done. She was pissed, but she also didn't think she could just push him out of her life like that. Regardless of what anyone else said, she and Noah had shared something special today. Granted, he'd fucked everything up, but that didn't change the fact that what they shared was still there. She wasn't ready to forgive him for his lapse in judgment, but she wasn't prepared to vilify him for it either.

Sam pulled into the parking lot of their dorm, turning the car off and climbing out. He helped Rachel out while Kurt assisted Quinn. The four kids walked inside, scanning their IDs to let them into the building. They took the elevator up to their floor, Quinn and Rachel waving goodbye to the boys as they headed to their respective rooms.

When Rachel and Quinn walked up to their door, they were surprised to see Puck leaning against the wall, waiting for them. Well, Rachel wasn't all that surprised. She had figured Puck wasn't done with her after their last talk and her following performance.

Quinn was furious. She had expressly forbid him from talking to Rachel anymore tonight, yet here he was, waiting for her like some kind of stalker. "Scram," she snapped, fishing her keys out of her bag. "Rachel's tired and she doesn't want to deal with your bullshit now. Talk to her tomorrow."

Rachel sighed, placing a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "No, it's fine," she promised. "I'd rather just deal with this now instead of pushing it off until the morning."

"I was hoping we could talk," Puck mumbled, having sobered up a bit by this point. He looked very disheveled and somber. In fact, Quinn had never seen her brother look like it before. It was like he was actually _sorry_ for what he had done to her roommate. "Please Rachel."

Quinn gave her a look, but Rachel shook her head. "You go in and get ready for bed. I'll be in soon, I promise. Really, it's fine," she said. Quinn gave her brother a glare before unlocking the door, disappearing inside. Rachel sat on the floor in the hallway, letting out a yawn. She patted the spot on the ground next to her, and Puck sat beside her. "Okay, talk."

"God, I don't even know where to start," he said, putting his head in his hands, his body hunched over slightly. "I fucked up tonight. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness or your sympathy or anything, but I want you to know I really am sorry for everything that happened. I didn't even want to go out with Marley, but Finn made me go because Sugar wouldn't go out with him unless Marley had a date too. I know that's no excuse for what happened, but I don't want you to think I just randomly went out with some girl because I didn't care about you."

"You could have said no, you know," she murmured. "It's not like Finn forced you to go with him. You chose to go out with him and the girls when you could have said no."

"Right, like you would say no to Kurt if he asked you to do something for him. Finn's my best friend, Rachel. I'm not going to tell him no just because I really don't feel like going. I'm his wingman, so I have to grin and bear it when he asks. He'd do the same for me."

Rachel nodded her head, her hair falling into her face. "Why'd you get so drunk?" she asked. "And why were you even at the bar? It doesn't seem like your kind of scene, and it certainly doesn't seem like the type of place you'd take two girls on a date."

"I saw the note on your door," he said quietly. "You know, the one from that asshole Will where he told you to wear leather and lace or something like that. And my mind ran wild, especially after Finn said you slept with some guy last night who was looking for you while you were out with me. I couldn't stop thinking about you with some other guy and alcohol seemed like the best solution. As for the bar, well that was my bad idea. I found out who Will was and where he was going to be tonight. I know that makes me kind of a stalker, but I wanted to check out the competition."

Rachel let out a sigh. "First of all, Will is not an asshole. He was practically my mentor through high school. Secondly, as I said earlier, this would all have been avoided if you had just point blank asked me about all this stuff instead of assuming I was some hussy. I've been honest with you from the moment I met you. I'm an eighteen-year-old virgin from Ohio and my best friend is gay. I don't do things the normal way because all the influences in my life are gay men. I don't know how to act around guys, especially ones who are actively pursuing me. I say the wrong thing most of the time and fuck up a lot. Sam and Kurt slept over in our room, so I let Sam share my bed since Quinn didn't feel comfortable with it. I've done the same thing with Kurt a hundred times, so I don't see why it's a big deal."

"God, it's sad how innocent and naïve you are. Guys think about one thing and one thing only: sex. By letting him sleep in your bed, you were practically inviting him to take your virginity."

"Just because that's all you ever think about doesn't mean everyone is like you, Noah." She sighed, shaking her head. "No, I'm done being angry and yelling about this. Look, I don't hate you," she said, resting her hand on top of his. "But I don't think we should see each other for a little while. You know, kind of a break from…whatever this is. Today was wonderful until you fucked everything up, but it was also so much so fast. I don't think you're ready for this, and I'm not either. You can still come over to our dorm, but I don't want you coming over to see me."

"When are you going to let me see you again?" Puck asked.

"I'll let you know," Rachel said, patting his knee once. "I have your number—I'll text you when I feel like I'm ready." She stood up, smoothing her dress. "And Noah?" she asked.

Puck looked up, his face flat. "Yeah?" he asked miserably.

"I know other people don't see it. I feel like even you yourself don't see it most of the time. But, you really are a good person, despite what everyone says. You have this good side in you that you keep hidden behind your slutty, asshole side. You should let him come out from time to time. That's the you I like, and I'm sure that's the you everyone else would like if you gave him a chance." She bent down and kissed him on the cheek lightly before disappearing inside her room, shutting the door behind her.

Quinn had already changed into her pajamas and was sitting on her bed, waiting patiently for Rachel. "So?"

"I told him I don't want to see him for a while, that I need time to figure things out and he needs time to mature to be with someone like me. Maybe in a few weeks he'll be ready." Rachel bit her lower lip. "You know, maybe you should cool it with the slut comments. I know you're just teasing, but he really is a good person, despite what everyone thinks. He doesn't let people see that side of him, but he let me see it earlier."

"I know he's a good person," Quinn said defensively. "He just chooses to be an asshole instead."

Rachel shrugged her shoulders, pulling the dress off and changed into her pajamas instead. "I don't see why. I like the good Noah, not the asshole. That's the only reason I agreed to let him take me on a date in the first place. Why are guys so complicated?" she asked, pulling her shirt over her head before turning around and climbing onto her bed.

"Who knows? All I know is I'm officially done with Finn. He's such a dick, and he's never going change. He's just going to keep flaunting girls in front of me, totally oblivious to how I feel. I can't take it anymore. My new mission is to get these lips kissed by the end of the month—it's kind of pathetic that I'm a college freshman and still haven't had my first kiss," she giggled. "Hell, I'll even find you someone to help you forget about my stupid, slutty brother. I'm not saying you shouldn't forgive him, but you should get out there and kiss a few frogs before choosing your prince."

xxxxx

Friday morning meant early, all day football practice for Puck and Finn. Classes didn't start until Monday, so the team was getting in as much extended practice as they could until their players started getting busy with things like homework and classes. After last night, Puck had no desire to do anything, but he also knew he'd be kicked off the team and lose his scholarship if he didn't show up.

Well, maybe not kicked off, but coach would make his life miserable at the next practice.

He begrudgingly climbed out of bed, feeling like shit. He wanted to say that he'd never get that drunk again, but he knew very well he'd just do it next weekend at whatever party he ended up at. That had been his life since he was a freshman, and it would continue to be his life until he graduated.

But maybe it was time to give that all up. Puck pulled on his practice uniform quickly, hearing Finn moving around in their kitchen. If Puck was being truly honest with himself, he wanted Rachel more than anything else in the world, and not in a quick fuck kind of way. He actually wanted to spend time with her, date her, fall in love with her. The thought was both terrifying and exciting, but it was true. He'd never felt like that about someone before, which just added to the terror.

Puck had dated through high school, though nothing serious. He mostly used girls for one thing, then kicked them to the curb. He knew he was an asshole and he was proud of it. He was sure one day he'd get married to some girl when she proved that she was enough for him to settle down with her and just her, but so far he hadn't found that girl.

Until Rachel.

She was funny and witty and smart and everything he ever wanted in a girl. She kept him on his toes and didn't put up with his bullshit. She didn't swoon and fall for every line he gave her like all the other girls did. In fact, she mocked him for it and refused to participate in even low-level flirting. She was the most unique and interesting girl he'd ever been around, which was the exact reason he liked her.

And then he had to fuck everything up. He wanted to blame Finn for everything—the date had been his idea, he'd made Puck go with him, and he kept bringing Puck beer when he saw he was trashed, leading to the now-infamous bar-grouping session. But he had to take some of the responsibility. He could have said no, but he didn't. He chose to stalk Rachel to that bar and check out the guy she was supposedly on a date with. Hell, he chose not to ask her about the not-date in the first place.

But he didn't, and now Rachel wanted a break from him and his slutty ways, not that he blamed her. If their situations were reversed, he wouldn't want to see much of her for a while either. That didn't make the situation suck any less.

Puck walked into the kitchen, grabbing the box of Lucky Charms and poured himself a bowl. Finn was already sitting at the table, eating his breakfast. Puck took a seat across from him, neither boy saying a word. Finn decided to break the silence first. "Look, I'm sorry about last night," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have made you come on the stupid date in the first place."

Puck shook his head. "Not your fault. You can't force me to do anything I don't want to do. I guess I kind of wanted to come since I was being a jealous ass about the date Rachel wasn't even on. Besides, you tried to get me to stop drinking and I wouldn't fucking listen. This is my mess that I have to clean up, now."

"On a scale of one to Quinn, how pissed was she when you went to her dorm to talk to her?"

"Surprisingly chill. I thought she'd be all yelling and hitting me, but she just sat there next to me. I think she may have raised her voice once, but that was it. She said she wants a break from me and my whore self for a while."

"Ouch, that sucks, bro. Sorry about that. I'm sure you can call up Marley if—"

Puck shook his head. "No, I'm not screwing this up again. I'm going to show Rachel that she can trust me. I'm not going to date or anything while she's not seeing me."

"So you're denying yourself ready and willing, not to mention _hot_, pieces of tail just because some freshman you weren't dating got her feelings hurt?"

Puck thought about it for a minute. "Yeah, I guess so. I don't know what it is about her, but I really like her. I feel different around her, like she makes me want to be a better person. She could be that one chick who makes me become a one-woman man."

"Assuming she's still off the market by the time she forgives your sorry ass. Weston already said he's gonna ask her out now that she told you to go to hell. Plus, she had all those guys in the band hanging onto her every word. And it wasn't like they were hunchbacks or something. They were good-looking, not to mention _older_ guys."

Puck balled his hands into fists, his knuckles turning white. "What?" he growled, his teeth clenched. "When did Weston say that?"

"Today. He sent me a text warning me he was asking the cute freshman with the smart ass mouth out when he got the chance. I'm assuming he meant Rachel since she and your sister are the only freshman girls both of us know."

"I'll kill him."

"Why don't you just settle for knocking him down a few times at practice instead? I think the team would suffer if he was dead and you were in jail for murdering him. Now c'mon or we're going to be doing sprints for being late…again." Finn got up, clearing the table and leaving the dishes in the sink. He grabbed his keys and his bag, heading towards the door. Puck followed him, pulling out his phone. He knew he promised not to bother Rachel until she was ready, but he just wanted to make himself look a little better in case Brody really was planning on asking her out.

_Rach sorry again about last night. I know I screwed up and proved that I can't be trusted, but I can. I want to show you that and win your trust back. You don't have to answer this if you don't want to. I just wanted to say how sorry I was again. Puck._

He sent the text before heading out the door, shoving his phone in his bag.

**Also, apologies now, but there isn't going to be much Puckleberry in the next chapter. It's mostly a Rachel-centric chapter, but you'll get to see what the fall musical is! But the chapter after that will more than make up for both the absence of Puck in the next chapter as well as the current angsty state of our favorite couple!**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: You're going to find out a lot more about Rachel/Jesse this chapter. And I think Jesse is most likely going to enter the story soon. Don't worry, his mission is not going to be to break them up (though his presence will cause a Hummelberry rift). Once Puckleberry is officially together, I'm planning on keeping them that way—that isn't to say they won't have their troubles, but I don't have plans to split them up or anything.**

**And a word on Quinn. Thanks for all the suggestions. They were all great and it was nice to see where everyone stands when it comes to who they want to see her with. I'm taking them all into consideration as I decide what to do with her. And just because she starts dating someone doesn't mean they're endgame. Remember, Quinn has never had a boyfriend and has never been kissed. She wants to experience college and the dating scene before she dates that one guy who's the love of her life. **

**Sorry for such this long note. One last thing. The 'so much so fast' a reviewer asked about. I know nothing happened between them physically. Rachel is referring to the emotional bond they made that day. Rachel and Puck spent hours talking to one another, sharing things about themselves that two people who just met normally wouldn't talk about. So emotionally, it was a lot in a very fast period of time, something neither of them was really ready for yet. Puck responded by hooking up with another girl (the fact that he was drunk partially added to him doing that) while Rachel responded by breaking down over a guy she barely knew. **

"You are the worst best friend ever, I hope you know. I'm adding this to the list. You owe me ice cream later for breaking the cardinal role of our friendship," Rachel ranted as she and Kurt walked along the path through campus, heading towards the theater school where auditions for the fall musical were being held.

"Get over yourself, diva. I said last year after _Les Miserables_ that it was my last show. I don't know why you're so surprised."

"I thought you were kidding! You, I, and theater are like three peas in a pod. This feels so unnatural. There's never been a musical I tried out for that you didn't audition for as well. Just can't imagine being on stage without you. Just like it's weird being in class without you. Do you know how hard it is to concentrate when my best gay isn't there next to me?"

"I don't see what the big deal is. I said senior year I was doing fashion, not theater. This clearly shows how well you listen to me."

"I did listen to you," she protested, leaning against the wall outside the theater door. "I just thought—or hoped—you'd change your mind. You're my best friend, Kurt. Hell, you're practically my brother. We're supposed to be in classes together and spending all our time together!"

"We _do_ spend all our time together," he laughed. "I see you more than I see Sam, and he lives with me," he teased.

Rachel gave him a look. "Not the same thing. You know what I mean. We're supposed to go through college together, just like we planned."

"Hey, I had to cut the apron strings at some point. What, did you expect us to live together even after you forgive and marry your roomie's hot brother? We're in college now, Rachel. We can't be joined at the hip anymore." Rachel frowned. "No, stop. I'm not saying I don't want to be friends. I just mean we have to do our own thing as well. After all, how else are we going to make friends if we just stay with each other? It's time to spread your wings and fly, little bird," he teased.

Rachel rolled her eyes, shoving him in the shoulder. "You're still the Fred to my Ginger."

Kurt smiled, leaning forward and kissed her on the forehead. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. Knock 'em dead. I'll wait out here for you and we'll celebrate your successful audition with gross dining hall food," he joked, patting her back as he nudged her towards the door.

Rachel took a deep breath as she pulled the door open, walking inside. There was a group of about twenty or thirty girls sitting in the front rows, talking amongst themselves. Off to the side, there was an Asian girl seated with a clipboard in her hand. She was dressed in a long, patchwork skirt paired with sandals and a lacy tank-top. On her head, she had a brown, knit hat, giving her a very hippie look.

To her side was a boy in a wheelchair who was deep in conversation with her. Rachel guessed they were in charge of the show, but she could have been wrong. After all, she didn't know anyone here—she was positive she was the only freshman who had signed up to audition with the hope that maybe she'd get a small role that had one solo.

Rachel took a seat behind a group of girls who were talking and laughing, making her feel very alone, just as she had in high school. She couldn't remember an audition she went to where Kurt wasn't right by her side, giving her at least one person to talk to. In high school, classes she had without Kurt were very much like this, sitting on the outside listening to conversations of others but not feeling confident enough to join in. Rachel didn't want to be that girl anymore.

"Um, hi," she said, her voice quiet. The four girls stopped talking and looked over at her. At first, Rachel thought they were going to ignore her. They kept looking at her like she was a bug or something. Maybe she should just move away.

"Hi!" the one girl said enthusiastically. She was dressed in a green top with flowers and jeans. She had dark hair that was hanging loose around her face. At first look, she seemed a little intimidating, but her warm smile made Rachel feel a little more comfortable. "You look terrified," she commented. "I'm Mercedes," she said, introducing herself. "Mercedes Jones. This is Spencer Bradley, Marie Snyder, and Izzy Mears. We're all seniors."

As Rachel looked at the four girls, she felt very out of place. They were all dressed differently, but none of them looked like they fit in with the general public. They had lots of bright colors, unusual patterns, and wild styles. Rachel, however, had on a white sundress with striped wedges. She felt like the antithesis to everything they were, just as she had every day in her theater classes. She'd gone form the big fish in high school to not even a minnow here. She had been starting to regret her choice from the first day she walked into class and stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Rachel Berry," she said, trying to keep the discomfort out of her voice. It wasn't hard—she was a good actress, after all. "I'm…I'm a freshman," she admitted.

The reaction was instantaneous. Three of the girls started laughing. "Oh yeah, I'm _sure_ you're going to get a part," Marie mocked, turning away from her as she fell back into conversation with Spencer and Izzy. Rachel's face went red.

Mercedes sighed. "Ignore them. They can be a bit…rude. We don't get a lot of freshman who audition for the show here—don't be disappointed if you don't get a part," she said kindly. "It's nothing against you personally, but David doesn't like putting freshman in his shows, and neither does Sue. Though David graduated, so I can't speak for Artie. Sue, however, still has a say in everything. I don't know where she is, though," Mercedes said, looking around.

The door opened and a young girl with red hair walked in, rushing towards the front to where the Asian girl and the boy in the wheelchair were sitting. Rachel saw her say something quickly to them before nodding and taking a seat with them.

The boy wheeled more towards the front, clearing his throat. Mercedes gave Rachel one more smile before turning and looking at the boy. "Hey everyone, I hope you had a great summer. For the new people here, I'm Artie Abrams. In case everyone forgot, I'm taking over David's job as director this year. Tina Cohen-Chang my good friend and fantastic actress, will be helping me for the fall before she gets right back into her role as actress for the spring. To her left is Emma Pillsbury, Sue's TA. Apparently, Ms. Sylvester is busy with her new baby, so Emma's going to be seeing over the production for the fall. Alright, let's get started. Remember, you have one song to wow us with. Just let Brad know what you're singing so he can play for you."

Artie started calling names up one by one. Each girl would introduce herself before the pianist would begin playing. Each girl was better than the previous, and Rachel felt very out of her league. In between girls, Mercedes started explaining how things worked. They would find out the cast list about half an hour after the last girl sang. The boys' try-outs had been yesterday, so they all knew their parts already. In fact, Mercedes' boyfriend Shane had gotten one of the main parts, but he refused to tell her which part.

"I don't even understand why we're doing _Beauty and the Beast_. David would have never picked something like this. Last year he was saying how he really wanted to do _Spring Awakening_, but I suppose it's Artie's choice." She looked around the room which only had a few girls left. "Looks like we're up soon," she said.

Mercedes' name was called next and she headed up to the stage. She clearly knew everyone who was judging, definitely giving her an edge over everyone else. She sang both parts of "Take Me or Leave Me" from _Rent_, and pulled it off beautifully. Rachel was sure she wasn't even going to get the part of the feather duster now. Everyone here was so much better than her.

As Mercedes passed her on her way out, she gave Rachel thumbs up, whispering a few words of luck.

Eventually, everyone had gone except Rachel. Artie called her name and she stood up, walking up to the stage. She was shaking from head to toe, something that was unusual for her. She never got nervous, especially when she was auditioning for something. She wished she'd been able to go first and not have to hear everyone else sing first.

"Hi, I'm Rachel Berry," she mumbled.

She heard the girl, Tina, let out a sigh and mutter something under her breath. "Louder!" she yelled, earning her a look from Artie.

"My name's Rachel Berry," she said louder. "I'm a freshman, and I really don't know what I'm doing here anymore. I think I should just go."

"Hold up, why do you think you should leave?" Artie asked, wheeling closer to the stage. "If you signed up, clearly you do belong here."

Rachel let out a sigh. "I'm not good enough. I thought I was, but after listening to everyone else sing, I know I'm not. I used to think I had this amazing voice, but I think it's only because no one else from my town really could carry a tune except my best friend, and even he was smart enough to not think he could try out for the show as a freshman."

Artie shook his head. "Just because you're a freshman doesn't mean you don't have a chance of being Belle. But I can guarantee you that if you don't sing for us, you don't have a shot. What were you going to sing?"

"'I Dreamed a Dream' from _Les Miserables_. I was Fantine last year in our school play, but only because our director wouldn't let me try out for Valjean."

"Well, that's a challenging song. I think you have to be at least part way decent if you were able to sing that. Why don't you go ahead and sing it for us? We're not going to laugh at you, I promise," Artie said.

Rachel was still trembling, but she nodded her head reluctantly. Brad, the pianist, gave her a nod before he began playing the song. Rachel closed her eyes, trying to summon the courage to pull this off. Surprisingly, it wasn't Kurt's face or her dads faces that gave her the confidence she so desperately needed at the moment.

It was Noah's. She saw him standing there in her mind, giving her a smile, telling her she could do this. And with that thought, she knew she could.

Rachel took a deep breath before it was her turn to sing.

_There was a time when men were kind__  
__When their voices were soft__  
__And their words inviting__  
__There was a time when love was blind__  
__And the world was a song__  
__And the song was exciting__  
__There was a time__  
__Then it all went wrong_

The one reason Rachel had originally fallen in love with the tragic character of Fantine was because she reminded her of herself. Well, part of herself. When Rachel had practiced this song, she saw herself singing it to Jesse St. James, her only ex-boyfriend.

She'd met him in the winter of her sophomore year. She'd just turned sixteen a few weeks before, so she'd decided to spend her birthday money on some new sheet music. That was where she met him. She'd heard about him, of course—he was the king of Carmel High. Everyone in the Ohio show choir world knew of him and his incredible voice. There was also the talk of how he was an arrogant asshole, someone not to be trusted.

Of course, he never seemed that way to Rachel. Not when she first met him, at least. He was charming, sweet, funny—and he only had eyes for her. They spent four hours at the music store, playing piano and singing. Before he left, he'd asked her out and Rachel had said yes. She knew she hardly knew him, but he was the first boy ever who had shown an interest in her. Plus, he was cute, sweet, and a senior. She was never going to be able to do better than him.

_I dreamed a dream in time gone by__  
__When hope was high__  
__And life worth living__  
__I dreamed that love would never die__  
__I dreamed that God would be forgiving__  
__Then I was young and unafraid__  
__And dreams were made and used and wasted__  
__There was no ransom to be paid__  
__No song unsung, no wine untasted_

Jesse started coming over to Rachel's house every day, spending time with her while her dads were working. He was always a total gentleman, never even attempting to pressure her to do anything. Rachel was very young and innocent then. Her only boyfriend had been someone who was gay, something she told Jesse a week into dating him. He promised to take it slow with her, and he held up his end of the promise.

When they first started dating, Rachel was in rehearsals for the school musical (It had been _Guys and Dolls_ that year with Rachel playing the innocent Sarah Brown). Jesse would come and rehearse with her, even giving her tips on how to make the songs sound better. She'd taken it, of course—he was the expert in the area.

_But the tigers come at night__  
__With their voices soft as thunder__  
__As they tear your hope apart__  
__As they turn your dream to shame_

Rachel wasn't sure when everything changed. Jesse had spent months telling her how beautiful her voice was, how perfect she was, how she was going to be a star. Then he suddenly changed his tune. He told her how she dressed like a toddler, how she wasn't good enough to be the lead in the musical, let alone be on Broadway.

Rachel should have ended things there, but she didn't. She loved him. She didn't think it was possible to fall in love with someone after only a few months, but somehow she did. She'd fallen head over heels for Jesse, and he knew it. He could tell by the way Rachel looked at him and how she talked around him.

He abused that power, knowing he had someone who was fully devoted to him. He spent his time with her tearing her down, finding something she was insecure about and harping on it relentlessly. Rachel had been hugely confident before meeting Jesse, always believing in herself. However, she began doubting everything about herself. Even Kurt noticed it in her, noting how quiet she'd grown, never volunteering for solos in glee club anymore.

_He slept a summer by my side__  
__He filled my days with endless wonder__  
__He took my childhood in his stride__  
__But he was gone when autumn came_

Rachel was often ashamed to admit that she had gone further with Jesse than she'd been ready for. She never slept with him, but she'd allowed him to get past second base with her, something she hadn't been ready for at the time. In fact, she still wasn't really ready for that.

Jesse used her, convinced her to do things she wasn't ready for while simultaneously making her doubt herself and her abilities. She lost her dream for Broadway, her desire to be a star. He thrived on that, relished in her pain and self-doubt. Once he figured out all her insecurities and doubts, he never let her forget them.

_And still I dream he'll come to me__  
__That we will live the years together__  
__But there are dreams that cannot be__  
__And there are storms we cannot weather_

Jesse eventually showed Rachel how truly ugly he was when she found him making out with some girl who wasn't her in the back of his car. That had been all she needed to find the strength to walk away. Of course, it didn't mean she stopped caring for him.

Even now, a part of her still wished she could get him back. Jesse was her first (and only) love. That didn't just go away overnight. She still loved him, and she wasn't sure what would happen if she somehow ran into him.

She still felt immense guilt that Kurt had no idea about her and Jesse. She was ashamed about lying to him, but she knew he'd never forgive her if she told him for lying to him over all these years. She often wished he knew so she could talk to him about dreams she had that Jesse was in, but she never could. In that way, Rachel felt completely alone.

_I had a dream my life would be__  
__So different from this hell I'm living__  
__So different now from what it seemed__  
__Now life has killed the dream I dreamed._

Rachel let out a gasp as she finished, her left hand clutching her chest. She didn't realize she was crying until she felt a singular tear land on her lower lip. She took a deep breath before looking up at the three people left in the auditorium.

All of them were looking at her, shock evident on their faces. No one seemed to be able to speak; however, Artie seemed to find his voice eventually. "I…wow," was all he said. "I don't think we've ever had an audition like that before, and certainly not with anyone singing the song the way you did. If we were doing _Les Miserables_, this is the part where I would offer you whatever part you wanted without hesitation. Since we're not doing _Les Miserables_, I'll settle for saying you're more than qualified to be our Belle. I don't even know the last time a freshman got a leading role, but you deserve it. I don't know why you would ever think you weren't good enough to audition, but you are, Rachel. You've got…whatever it is. If I had my choice, I'd offer you all future female leads as well, but I think Sue would murder me."

Tina, who had seemed a bit unfriendly, even managed to give Rachel a small smile as she stepped off the stage.

Artie and Rachel exchanged numbers with him promising to text her as soon as he'd decided on their first rehearsal. She gave him a hug, thanking him before gathering up her things and walking out of the auditorium, a slight spring in her step. The group of girls was outside waiting for the cast list to be posted, each girl looking as nervous as Rachel had been before getting up on stage.

Kurt was sitting off to the side, still waiting for her. She walked over to him and threw her arms around his neck. She was grinning ear to ear. "Come on, let's go," she said, linking arms with him and leading him away from the theater.

"Aw, guess the little freshie didn't get a part. Surprise, surprise," Izzy sneered. Rachel just ignored her—she'd find out soon enough. Best not ruin the surprise.

"Alright, what's going on?" Kurt asked when they were away from the group of girls. "Why aren't you waiting for the cast list like everyone else?"

"I'm Belle. They told me after I finished my song that I'm Belle. I was the last girl to sing, and the director offered it to me right there!" she squealed, jumping up a little.

"Diva!" Kurt laughed, taking her hands and jumped with her. "I knew it! I knew you were going to knock them dead in there! This calls for a celebration. We're going out tomorrow. You, me, the roomies, and anyone else we want. Rachel Berry, star of _Beauty and the Beast_. Oh, I can't believe it!" he laughed.

Rachel bit her lip for a moment, looking at Kurt. "Hey Kurtie? I think there's someone else I want to invite to come with us, if it's okay."

Kurt gave her a knowing smile and nodded his head. "I'll meet you back at your room. Give the boy a call. I'll let Quinn know you're on your way—don't worry, I won't spoil your big news," he called, walking off.

Rachel took a deep breath before scrolling until the name on her phone. She highlighted it and called, pressed the phone to her ear.

"Rach?" a voice asked, sounding a little confused.

"Hi, Noah," she said softly. "I know you're probably surprised to be hearing from me."

"Yeah, just a little," he said, letting out a small laugh. "What's up?"

"I…I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"I had my audition for the musical today, and I felt so nervous going up there. But I remembered how you said I could do it and how I had a great voice, and you helped me feel like I could sing. I saw your face in my head, and I knew that if you thought I could do it, I really could. And I did—I got the lead!"

"Oh, that's wonderful, Rachel!" she heard Puck say, and she could tell he really meant it.

"But, Kurt wants to go out this weekend. To celebrate, you know? And, I wanted to know if you wanted to come with us."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean, you said you didn't want to see me for a while," he reminded her. "I mean, it's almost been two weeks—I thought you needed more time than that. Not that I'm complaining," he added.

"Well, I realized that even though you're a bit of a slutty arrogant jerk, I miss you, as crazy as that is. I don't have anyone else I can pick on for being slutty or tease relentlessly about anything that comes to my mind. I really do want you to come, Noah. Celebrating something I wouldn't be doing without your suggestion seems wrong if you're not there to celebrate with me. So, please say you'll come?"

She heard him laugh on the other end of the phone. "Alright, alright. I'll come," he promised. "I'll get the rest of the information out of my sister. And Rachel, I know I don't deserve you or your forgiveness or anything, but I'm still sorry about what happened."

"Honestly Noah, I'd like to forget that night ever happened. So really, as long as you're all behaved and everything Friday night, I'll be ready to forgive you. I'll see you then." Rachel hung up her phone and smiled to herself. She started back to her dorm, a grin on her face the whole way.

_**Major**_** Puckleberry next chapter. Also, in case you were a little confused, this chapter takes place about two weeks after the last chapter. **


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: This is going to be a two-part chapter since it's too much to put in one chapter. **

**Also, yes. Shane and Mercedes will be in this story. They're not going to be a big part, but they'll have minor roles, especially when it comes to the musical. **

"_Well it's no wonder that her name means beauty. Her looks have got no parallel_!" Kurt sang, laughing as he did so. He was seated on Rachel's bed, a plastic shopping bag on the ground next to where his feet were hanging from. "Hurry up, diva!" he called, leaning back on her bed. "Quinn and Sam are downstairs waiting for us and can't leave since you're the only one with a damn car."

"I'm going as fast as I can," Rachel retorted, twisting her hair around into an intricate bun, wrapping a rubber band around it to hold it in place. "Can you grab my sandals from my closet?" she asked as she slipped a thigh-length white shirt on over her head, concealing her bikini from view.

Kurt had begged Rachel to go to a club to celebrate, but since her last memory of a club-like scene involved Puck with his tongue down some stranger's throat, she had no desire to repeat that. Rachel reminded Kurt they were celebrating her success, which was probably the only reason he let her choose the beach as a place to celebrate.

They were heading to the beach right by the Santa Monica pier with plans to go to Pacific Park after they were done with the beach. In addition to the four roommates, Puck and Finn were also coming. Kurt had texted Blaine and invited him, but hadn't heard back.

"Did Blaine text you?" Rachel asked as she took the sandals from Kurt, slipping them on her feet. She picked up her beach bag which contained her towel, sunscreen, her wallet, and her phone. Her sunglasses were perched on top of her head and she turned to look at Kurt. "And do you have my keys?"

"No, he didn't. I'm thinking he gave me a fake number and some assholes are laughing at all the texts I sent them asking him to come to the beach with us while trying not to sound completely desperate. And yes, I have your keys, so relax," he said, holding up the ring which had both Rachel's room keys and car keys.

Rachel took Kurt's arm, leading him out of the room and towards the elevator. She watched Kurt check his phone and look disappointed.

"Boo, I'm sure he's just busy. I mean, he was texting you earlier this week. Flirtatiously texting you, I might add. I mean, it's obvious homeboy likes you, so why would he just ignore you unless he was super busy and wasn't sure if he could come or something like that. I mean, he does work at a college bar," she reminded him.

"And it takes two seconds to text someone back," he muttered as they climbed off the elevator, finding Sam and Quinn waiting for them. "Hey guys. Are we meeting slut one and slut two here, or are they meeting us at the beach?" he asked.

"Puck called me and said they were running late—something about having to run to the grocery store or something. I don't speak idiot fluently, so I really don't know what he was going on about. Basically, they're going to meet us at the beach, so we need to get our asses in motion if we plan on making it there before them."

"Well, we're all here now so let's get a move on," Rachel suggested, taking Quinn's arm and headed for the door. Kurt and Sam looked at them for a moment before shrugging their shoulders and followed them out. Kurt unlocked the doors to Rachel's car and watched as the two girls climbed into the backseat. Kurt took the driver's seat and Sam sat next to him.

Kurt was always very thankful for GPS or he'd be constantly lost. It navigated him to the beach, even with Rachel and Quinn singing along to Maroon 5 the whole time. Kurt luckily found a space near the front and pulled Rachel's car in, putting it in park before turning off the ignition, handing Rachel her keys. "Alright bitches, let's go," Kurt laughed, opening the door to the car.

He helped Rachel and Quinn out while Sam grabbed their chairs from the trunk of the car. He handed a few to Kurt, and the four of them made their way to the beach, Quinn and Rachel carrying the boys' towels for them.

Since it was still early in the day, the beach wasn't very crowded yet. It would get crowded later, but right now, Rachel and everyone were able to find a good spot on the beach. They chose an area near the beach volleyball court, Sam and Kurt setting up their chairs.

Rachel slipped her shoes off, putting them inside her bag while pulling out the sunscreen. Quinn, standing beside her, pulled off her green cover up, revealing her pink and purple bikini.

"Ow, ow," Kurt teased, pulling his shirt off before staling the sunscreen from Rachel, spraying some on his chest. "Looks like we're going to have all the attention today with you two hotties frolicking around in your bikinis," he laughed.

"Coming from you, that means nothing," Rachel said, pulling her shirt off to reveal a strapless bandeau bikini with a watercolor-like design on it. "Unless of course you were referring to Sam and yourself, though I don't see how that's possible unless you have two itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikinis packed in your stuff."

"Shut it, diva. I don't need your sass today. Save it for the boy when he finally gets his ass here instead of getting whatever is so important that he's late for a beach day with my best friend."

"Pretty sure they're buying beer," Sam said, brushing his hair out of his face before kicking his flip flops off into the sand. He pulled his tee shirt over his head, leaving both girls gawking at him. He gave them a look. "What?" he asked.

"Why didn't you _tell_ us you were packing a major body under your clothes?" Rachel asked before letting out a small giggle. "I mean, holy shit Sam, you're totally hot."

Quinn nodded her head. "You totally are. Like, surfer dude hot. You're rocking like, an eight-pack or something," she giggled, turning to Rachel. "How is he part of our virgin club when he's walking around with a body like that."

"I do not appreciate being objectified like this," Sam teased. "Not all guys out there are sex-hungry freaks like your brother and fake-brother, Quinnie. Some of us are waiting until we find the right girl."

"And who is the right girl for Sam Evans, huh?"

"Don't know. I'll let you know when I meet her," he laughed, sinking into one of the chairs, putting his sunglasses on.

"Sam, you're like the perfect guy," Rachel commented as Quinn put sunscreen on her back for her. "You're hot and a total gentleman. Any girl would be lucky to have you, though I doubt many of them would be good enough for you. We don't want any slutty freshman corrupting our innocent Sam," she teased.

"Says the president of the big fat virgin club who spends her time with the overly sexually active football quarterback," he laughed.

Rachel gave him a look. "Yes but the difference between you and me is that I'm like Batman and you're like Peter Parker in _Spiderman 3_. I'm incorruptible while you get taken over by that weird stuff that makes him all emo," she laughed.

"First of all, why do you get to be Batman while I'm stuck being a character from the shitty Spiderman movie? And secondly, even superheroes have their weaknesses. Based off your killer 'go to hell' performance, I'd say Puck is yours. Speak of the devil, here he comes."

All four heads turned, seeing Puck and Finn trekking onto the beach, both of them carrying backpacks with them. Puck noticed Rachel, giving her a wave as he grinned at her, jogging a little until he reached where they'd set up their things, dropping his bag on the ground. Finn was still lagging behind, obviously not as enthusiastic about being there as Puck was.

"Hey, Rach," he said, kicking his shoes off into the sand. "Sorry we're late. Finn couldn't find his phone and we had to turn our apartment upside down looking for it," he said, giving Finn a look.

Finn walked up to them, rolling his eyes as he dumped his bag on the ground. "Yeah, whatever. We got here, didn't we? So what if we were late? Just because you get to spend ten minutes less with Rachel doesn't mean the world is ending."

Puck elbowed him in the ribs, pushing him away. "Shut up, you asshole," he laughed. "Maybe I wanted to get here so I could work on my tan," he joked, pulling his shirt off.

Rachel was once again struck by how great of a body he had. She never considered herself as someone who was shallow, but lately all she seemed to be able to think about were the multiple hot guys surrounding her…especially when they were shirtless.

"It's no big deal. We haven't been here that long," Rachel said, trying to keep the blush off her face as she realized Puck's eyes were raking over her very exposed body. Rachel wasn't used to being around people in her bathing suit. She'd never once been invited to a pool party in her four years of high school. After her dads put in a pool for her 12th birthday, she and Kurt avoided the public pool as well. The fact that she was now surrounded by people who were strangers two weeks ago and didn't feel completely uncomfortable in what she was wearing was a surprise to her.

"Yeah, well I still felt bad being late for your big celebration," he said. "I mean, it's not every day your sister's roommate and the girl who dedicated half her rock star debut to the asshole quarterback gets the lead role in the musical," he teased.

"We're just at the beach. It's not some giant celebration. It's really an excuse for Quinn and I to hang around a bunch of shirtless men," she laughed, looking over Puck's shoulder with a giant grin on her face. "Coop!" she laughed.

Kurt looked over, seeing Blaine and his brother walking over, carrying a cooler between the two of them. He couldn't stop the smile from coming on his face as he walked over to Blaine, helping him set the cooler down in the sand.

"I thought you were ignoring me," he said, trying to look annoyed but failing miserably.

"I could never ignore you. I wanted it to be a surprise for both you and Rachel. Oh yeah, Rach!" he called.

Rachel looked over at him while Puck had an annoyed look on his face from being interrupted mid-conversation with the girl he was still trying to get to forgive him. "What the hell you want. Anderson?"

"Bonjour!" he teased.

Rachel scrunched up her face at him. "You're dead. You too," she said, turning to look at Kurt. "You promised you didn't say anything to these idiots. I was supposed to break the news to everyone, not you."

"Sorry, but I was just so excited. Come on, diva, so what if I told them? It's probably the reason the extremely handsome Anderson brothers are here right now," he joked.

Rachel pouted for a moment before laughing. "Alright, alright, whatever. You're forgiven. But I'm still dunking Blaine in the ocean when he's least suspecting it for attempting to quote _Beauty and the Beast_ at me."

"Ah, but since I'm suspecting it now, you lost your element of surprise. Bad move, Berry," Blaine teased, pulling off his shirt before pulling out a volleyball. "Alright, whose up for some friendly competition?"

xxxxx

Puck was majorly regretting playing volleyball on the opposite team of Rachel. It was him, Finn, Sam, and Cooper against Blaine, Kurt, Rachel, and Quinn. The problem was, the three of the four straight men kept getting distracted by the two hot eighteen-year-olds running back and forth in barely-there bikinis.

Cooper seemed to be having an internal conflict with himself, trying to not get distracted by the girls. He appeared to stare for a moment before reminding himself they were eighteen before usually getting hit on the head with the ball.

The boys hadn't scored a single point against two teenage girls and two gay guys. It was embarrassing.

Quinn set the ball up and Rachel jumped, spiking it over onto the other side. The ball was coming straight for Puck and he knew he could hit it back no problem, but he couldn't take his eyes off the way her body moved when she jumped in the air. No, he was trying to prove to her he wasn't a sex-crazed perv, but staring at the way her boobs moved in her bikini seemed to prove just that.

He pulled his eyes off her long enough to see the ball heading straight for his head. He didn't have time to block Rachel's spike, and the ball hit him square in the forehead. He didn't realize Rachel had such a hard hit, because the next thing he knew, he had fallen back into the sand, his head throbbing.

"Oh, shoot!" Rachel said, ducking under the net and running over to Puck. Quinn was right behind her while everyone else looked on. Finn knelt next to Puck, waving his hand in front of his face.

"Puck, you okay?"

"Noah?" Rachel asked, sitting in the sand. She pulled his head onto her lap, her hands running over his forehead. "Noah, can you hear me? I'm so sorry!"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered, sitting up a little, leaning back on his elbows. He was fully aware of how close Rachel was to him, but he didn't want to be an asshole and take advantage of the fact that she had just voluntarily laid his head on her lap. "Just a little bump on the head. No big deal," he said, giving her a small smile.

"Well, I am sorry. I didn't mean to hit you on the head like that," she said, brushing a hand over his forehead. "Are you okay now?"

"I'm fine, Rach," he laughed, brushing the sand off his chest. "Just remind me not to piss you off if you have a volleyball in your hand," he joked.

Puck stood up, looking at the court which had now been taken over by a group of guys who looked like they belonged in the ocean on surf boards, not on the volleyball court. "Look Sam, it's your people," Rachel teased, walking off the court with Puck at her side. "Well, I think this means the girls and gays win by default. We were kicking your asses."

"No, it means the game is unfinished. We'll have to find a different way to settle this, since we were totally making a comeback before you knocked our star player down," Sam claimed, putting an arm around Rachel's shoulders as they walked back to their chairs.

Puck saw red, but reminded himself he needed to be on his best behavior unless he really wanted Rachel to hate him.

"Exactly," he chimed in, figuring it would be a good idea to get Sam to like him and put in a good word for him with Rachel instead of thinking he was a drunk asshole. "We were just about to come back and show you four who were kings of the court, but you knocked me down and caused us to lose the court," he teased.

"No, the loss of the court is your fault for not having a thick enough head," Rachel laughed, shoving him lightly in the chest before taking a seat on her towel, pulling her sunglasses down from her head so they were covering her eyes. "We were up by seven, that means we win."

"Last time I checked, you needed 21 to win in volleyball, and you only had ten. That means you didn't win, no matter how much you want to claim you did," Sam laughed.

"You're forgetting this is _my_ celebration, so if I say we won that means we did."

"Just because you're the lead in the musical doesn't mean you get to cheat, diva," Puck teased. "We'll settle it all over a game at Pacific Park. Winner of that is winner of all and gets bragging rights. Deal?" he asked, holding out his hand to her.

"Alright, deal," she said, taking Puck's hand and shaking it once. "I want to go look for shells. Want to come?" she asked, looking only at Puck. Everyone else noticed she only asked Puck and did their best to hide their grins from her view.

"Yeah, I'd love to," Puck said, punching Finn in the shoulder as he walked by when he gave Puck thumbs up and a wink. Asshole.

Rachel and Puck headed down to the water, walking along the wet sand as they kept their eyes on the sand, attempting to find some shells.

Puck turned out to be much better at it than Rachel, finding her multiple intact shells. Of course, he gave them all to her, having no desire to keep them. He was from California—his yard was lined in them while Ohio-native Rachel wasn't used to seeing them so frequently. Puck figured she'd get bored of them—and the beach—after a few weeks.

"You know, I've been thinking about that night at the bar all week," she said, walking with her feet in the water. She gestured to Puck, and the two of them sat on the ground, the water running up over their legs, retreating back, then repeating the whole process.

"I thought you wanted to forget that night?" Puck asked, looking over at her. Rachel had pulled her bun out so her hair fell over her shoulders. Her dark waves framed her face perfectly, casually blowing into her face as a small gust of wind blew past them. Puck didn't understand how one person could be so beautiful as effortlessly as Rachel, but she managed it. He was positive that if he caught her in sweaty gym clothes and no makeup, she'd be just as beautiful as she was right in this moment.

"I do, but I can't," she said, her elbows resting atop her knees, her head in her hands. "I mean, that day I was so convinced everyone had been wrong about you. I thought you were this sweet guy and we were going to date and be this great couple, but then that night happened and you proved everyone right."

"Rachel, I know this," Puck sighed. "We've been through this all and I'd really rather not hear again how I'm an asshole and I fucked up and blah blah blah."

Rachel held up a hand, stopping him. "I'm not trying to rehash everything that's already been said, and I'm not trying to make you feel like shit about what you did. I want you to know that I forgive you for what happened. I mean, you were well within your rights to go out with that girl and even make out with her. We weren't dating, we hadn't even had a real date. You were nice enough to show me around campus, and I thought we were soul mates or something. It's not your fault I overreacted to you having your own life and doing something with your friend. I should be the one apologizing to you," she sighed.

"Hey, you have nothing to apologize for. You're a freshman, and you're about as innocent as they come. I wasn't thinking straight that night. All I could think about was how some other asshole was going to be kissing you and how you blew me off for that guy. I wasn't thinking rationally. I was jealous and possessive without being your boyfriend or even just your friend. I was—"

Rachel didn't get to find out what else he was. Instead, she leaned over close to Puck. She placed a hand on his cheek and pulled his face close to hers, placing a soft kiss on his lips. Puck seemed shocked and instantly shut up.

Rachel stopped the kiss as quickly as she started it, her face red. However, that didn't stop her from smiling at Puck, her eyes open.

"What was that for?" he asked, very confused.

"To get you to shut up. I already told you I forgive you. You don't need to go on and on about how you screwed up that night. I don't care anymore. I want you back in mi life, Noah. I've missed you this whole time, even if you are a perv," she teased.

Puck smiled at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Well, I missed you too. Coach has been up on my ass all week about me getting my head out of the sky and on the field. I haven't been playing that great at practice."

"Well, maybe this was just the motivation you needed to get your head in the game?" she suggested, giving him another smile. She rose to her feet, helping him up. "Come on, we should head back before Quinn sends out a search party for us," she laughed.

As they walked back, Rachel seemed to be thinking something over. She hesitated momentarily before slipping her hand into Puck's as they got closer to where they'd been sitting. Puck simply looked down at their clasped hands and smiled.

**Next up, the night at Pacific Park. **


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Okay, Rachel and Puck aren't officially together right now, but Rachel has more or less forgiven him for everything that happened. But that doesn't mean that they're going to get together right away, but they will soon.**

When Rachel and Puck made it back to their chairs at the beach, they found everyone had broken apart, choosing to do their own thing instead of hanging around with the whole group like they had been before. Kurt and Blaine were down by the water, apparently trying to decide if the water was warm enough for them to go in and if they wanted to ruin their hair with the salty ocean water. Sam had fallen into conversation with Cooper, the two of them standing towards the back. Cooper had a beer in his hand while Sam was sticking with water. Rachel smiled at that, glad to see Sam had hopefully found another guy friend besides Kurt.

Finn was sitting in one of the beach chairs, a can of beer clenched in his fist as he glared at something off to the left. Rachel followed his line of site and covered her mouth to stop herself from giggling. The volleyball court was still filled with the guys who had stolen it from them earlier, but none of them seemed to be playing. Instead, a group of them were in a circle, looking down slightly at a petite blonde who had captured all their attentions.

The blonde, also known as Quinn Fabray.

Puck hadn't let go of Rachel's hand, not wanting her to get away from him. She had _kissed_ him. He hadn't done anything. He'd been on his best behavior, and she had kissed him on the lips. And, if he was being honest with himself, he'd really enjoyed the kiss. Her lips were soft and smooth, and for someone who didn't have much experience kissing, she was pretty good at it.

He felt her trying to pull her hand free, and he unwillingly let go. He wasn't going to force her to stay by his side if she didn't want to. He saw Finn rising to his feet, heading over in their direction. Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder, looking up at him and giving him a small wink before she jogged over in the direction of the volleyball court.

It was then he noticed the group of tall, muscular guys surrounding his sister. Well, now his sister and Rachel. He noticed one of the guys, a tall guy with dreads, smile as Rachel joined their group. He couldn't hear what he said, but whatever it was, it made Rachel laugh.

Puck was pretty sure he'd get in trouble with both his sister and Rachel if he went over and slugged the guy in the face, so he reminded himself that Rachel had just kissed him to attempt to keep him level headed. It wasn't working that well.

Finn tossed Puck a can of beer, his face tight. "Aren't you going to do anything?" he practically snarled, his eyes never leaving the group of guys surrounding the two eighteen-year-old girls. "She's your fucking sister, and those guys are staring at her like she's a piece of meat."

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, opening the can and taking a long sip. "She's eighteen. I'm not her dad. I can't just drag her away by her hair like I'm a caveman and tell her she has to dress like a pilgrim, Finn. She's an adult. She can make her own decisions."

"We both know if you weren't trying to prove to Rachel you're not a complete douchebag we wouldn't even be having this conversation. You'd be over there shielding her body from the group of alpha-males busy checking out her rack."

Puck didn't hesitate to punch Finn in the shoulder. He didn't hold back, either. Finn may have been his best friend, but he actually wanted to hurt him right then. He was trying not to imagine the vile things running through the guys' heads as they stared at Rachel, and Finn running his mouth was not helping any.

"The fuck was that for?" Finn snapped, rubbing his shoulder where Puck's fist had been a moment earlier.

"For being an asshole. I know what they're doing and what they're thinking. I'm trying to be a nice guy by not knocking out every last one of them. So shut up. Maybe if we stand here glaring long enough they'll get the hint and ditch the surfer contingent."

Finn nodded, continuing to stare at the two girls, trying to tell himself the only reason he was feeling like this was because Quinn was like his sister. His feelings were purely brotherly, nothing more.

Quinn looked up as Rachel jogged over to her, a huge grin on her face. Quinn had a feeling that her brother was largely responsible for the smile, but she knew here wasn't he place to bring it up. Later in their dorm room, however, she'd get the full story of what happened on her and Puck's long walk on the beach.

Quinn embraced the brunette before turning back to the six guys who had been attempting to impress her for the past half hour. All she had done was toss their ball back to them, but they had seemed to forget all about their game when they caught sight of the young, hot blonde in the bikini lounging right next to them.

"Guys, this is Rachel, my roommate I was telling you about," Quinn said, introducing Rachel to them. "Rachel, this is Joe, Rory, Chris, Kevin, Alex, and Ben. They're all sophomores at USC," Quinn giggled, pointing to each guy as she introduced him to Rachel.

The boys all shook Rachel's hand, repeating their names for her. "I apologize if I mix up your names. I'm better with faces than names," Rachel laughed, placing an arm around Quinn's waist as she stood beside her. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Well, before you returned from your stroll with Puck, Joe was trying to convince me that I'm not a real Californian if I've never been surfing," Quinn explained, gesturing to the tall guy with dreads. He was a good eight inches taller than Rachel and Quinn. He was shirtless with blue plaid swim trunks on. He had a blue bandana tied on his head used to keep his hair out of his face. He was cute in an unconventional kind of way, but his smile was what won Rachel over.

Joe nodded his head. "It's true," he said, tossing the volleyball between his hands. "All true Californians have been surfing at least once in their life. You, my dear, are an imposter," he teased.

Quinn laughed, shoving him playfully in the chest. "What about me screams surfer girl?" she asked. "I'm the homecoming queen. Girls like me don't surf."

"Ah, well now's your chance to defy the stereotype," Joe laughed. He gestured to Rory who handed him a black sharpie. He grabbed Quinn's arm before uncapping the marker, writing something on her skin. "That's my number. The six of us go surfing every weekend. IF you ever want to come, just hit me up. We always have an extra board or two for cute girls," he teased.

Rachel watched Quinn's cheeks turn pink before she made a face. She snatched the marker from his hand, grabbing his arm before writing something on it. Rachel tilted her head to the side in an attempt to read what Quinn had written. On his arm was her number along with a smiley face.

"That's mine. Call me some time and I'll show you how California I am," she laughed. "I can feel my brother and his friend shooting daggers in our direction, plus you guys probably want to get back to your game." She gave Joe and the other guys a wave before turning, leading Rachel back to their chairs.

Rachel was giggling. "He was totally cute," she said, looking back for a moment at the group of guys who had gone back to their game. "All of them were. Why didn't I go to USC instead?" she joked. Rachel walked past Puck, turning her head slightly in his direction as she did so. She gave him a small flirtatious smile before turning her attention back to Quinn.

"He was," Quinn agreed, taking a seat in one of the chairs. "Though way out of my league." She looked down at the number written on her arm. "Do you think he'll actually call me?"

"He'll be crazy not—" Rachel was interrupted by Quinn's phone ringing. Both girls looked at her bag. Quinn fished her hand in, extracting her phone. She unlocked it, answering the phone as she put it next to her ear.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Oh good," came Joe's voice. "I was just making sure you didn't give me a fake number."

Quinn started laughing, giving Rachel a huge thumbs up as she mouthed 'it's him' to her. "No, it's really my number as you can tell," she said.

"Well, I'm really glad I met you today, Quinn. And I wanted to prove I'm not one of those assholes who doesn't call a girl after she gives him her number. I don't want to bother you, I just wanted to prove I'm not an asshole."

"Don't worry, I figured that within five minutes of meeting you. Get back to your game," she said, turning and waving at him. She hung up her phone, turning back to Rachel. "First kiss, here I come!" she giggled.

xxxxx

After spending most of the day on the beach, Rachel decided it was time to school Puck in carnival games. The group packed their things up, putting everything back in the cars. Rachel and Quinn changed out of their swimsuits and into the change of clothes they had bought with them. Rachel had jean shorts with an oversized whit tee shirt while Quinn was in army green shorts and a black tee shirt that said 'not photo shopped' on the front of it.

The guys waited patiently for the girls to change before the whole group made their way to Pacific Park. Kurt and Blaine walked ahead of everyone, lost in their own conversation. Rachel had never seen her friend so taken with a guy before. She knew they'd be dating soon—assuming Blaine was okay with the age gap between them.

Quinn and Rachel had their arms linked as they walked into the amusement park. The place was crowded with people of all ages. There were families with young children, teenagers, and people who were even older than them.

Quinn scanned the crowd before spotting Joe in the distance with his friends. She gave Rachel a kiss on the cheek, promising they'd meet up later to go on the Ferris wheel together before running off in the distance, waving to Joe as she yelled his name. Finn followed her, an unhappy look on his face. Sam gave Rachel a wave before he and Cooper set off in the direction that Blaine and Kurt went, leaving Rachel and Puck alone together.

After she kissed him earlier, Rachel hadn't spent any time alone around Puck. In fact, she'd made sure not to spend time alone with him. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to act around a guy who she liked and who she had randomly kissed.

She turned her face up, looking at him. "Ready to get your ass kicked so I can prove once and for all I won that volleyball game?" she joked. Whenever Rachel felt uncomfortable, she tended to open her mouth and either make a joke or spew some sass to try and diffuse the tension. "Even though we technically already beat you earlier."

"Did not. The game wasn't over," Puck said, pointing towards an empty game booth, putting his arm on Rachel's lower back as he led her towards it. Rachel felt her face heat up as Puck put his hand on her body, but just nodded her head as she followed him to the booth.

She took a seat on one of the stools, swatting Puck's hand away as he attempted to pay for them. "Bitch please. I have more than enough money, and I'd feel bad making you pay for me. No, this is my treat," she said, handing over some cash before he had a chance to protest. "Now explain to me what I'm supposed to do here?" she asked.

Puck chuckled, sitting on the stool next to her. "You aim the gun at the clown's mouth. It'll shoot water, and you want your buzzer to go off first," he explained.

Rachel tried turning the gun towards Puck, but it locked at a certain point. "Darn, I can't squirt you with this," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

Puck laughed, pushing her gently in the shoulder. "You better pay attention, diva, or I'm going to kick your ass," he taunted.

"Cocky already, Puckerman?"

"It's not being cocky if it's true," he laughed.

"Care to bet on it?" she asked. "If I win, you have to call me Rachel. No diva, no Berry, no any other annoying nicknames. Only Rachel."

"Fine. But if I win, you have to come to all the home football games wearing a shirt with _my_ number on it."

"You have yourself a deal," she said, extending her hand to him. The two shook on it, both of them with huge smiles on their faces. Rachel honestly didn't care if she won or not. Right now, she officially knew she'd forgiven Noah. She couldn't care anymore about what happened at the bar. Ever since then, he'd been nothing short of a perfect gentleman. Even know, he could have made her promise to go on a date or something like that, but he asked her to come to his football games.

The kid manning the booth pressed a buzzer and the music started. Rachel's gun automatically started spraying water, something she'd been unprepared for. Coming from a privileged family, Rachel had never spent a lot of time at carnivals or amusements parks. She'd been to Disney World, but never anywhere that had games like these. It was a new experience for her.

She aimed the gun at the clown's mouth like Puck had instructed, but she couldn't seem to get the hang of it. Puck, on the other hand, had no problem. Before Rachel's water got halfway up, his buzzer was going off, declaring him the winner.

"Ha!" he laughed, pumping his arm into the air. "First game is next Saturday," he said, sticking his tongue out at her. Rachel rolled her eyes as the guy handed Puck a stuffed panda bear. It wasn't very big, but it was cute.

Puck looked at it for a moment before handing it to Rachel. "Here. I think you'd appreciate this more than me." He stood up as Rachel took the stuffed animal from him, smiling down at it.

"Thank you," she said, looking up at him. "No one's ever won me anything before," she admitted, her cheeks going a little red. "It really means a lot." Puck smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders. Rachel leaned close to him, getting horrible flashbacks as he led her away from the game.

Their first day together had been just like this. The two of them had spent all day together, growing close before he fucked it up and hooked up with some other girl. But no, Rachel knew that wasn't going to happen again. He'd earned her trust back, and she knew in her heart that he wasn't going to lose it again if he could help it.

"Alright Miss Lead Actress, I'm at your disposal. Where to next?" Puck asked, looking down at her.

Rachel opened her mouth to answer, but she was distracted. A tuft of curly hair passed by her, a wave of nausea hitting her as she caught a glimpse of the face attached to the hair. He had the same eyes she'd spent hours looking into, the ones she'd trusted. The slight furrow of his brow was still there, and his mouth was still twisted into the same condescending smirk he always wore.

Jesse St. James. What the hell was he doing here? Jesse seemed to notice her. He gave Rachel a quick wink before he disappeared once more into the crowd, gone from her sight as quickly as he'd entered it.

Puck noticed the change in Rachel's demeanor. He followed her line of sight, but only saw a large crowd of strangers. "What's wrong, Rachel?" he asked, turning her so she was facing him. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Rachel closed her eyes, shaking her head as she tried to convince herself she'd just been hallucinating. She opened them a moment later, putting a fake smile on her face as she looked up at Puck. "It's nothing," she lied. "I just thought I saw something, but I didn't." She had no idea if she did or didn't. Rachel had thought she'd seen Jesse around many places before, but never like this. She always realized instantly it wasn't him, but this time that didn't happen. In fact, the guy acted as though he knew her.

"You sure?" he asked, arching his eyebrow at her.

Rachel nodded her head. "Positive," she promised. "I'm fine. Really. Come on, let's get some ice cream before attempting to find everyone else in this crowd," she said, taking his arm. Rachel cast one look over her shoulder, not seeing Jesse anywhere.

Maybe she had imagined it. Rachel tried to convince herself that that was true as she walked beside Puck. Eventually, she gave up on that, pushing all thoughts of Jesse from her mind, focusing on being here now with Noah instead.

**Please review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: A few things – no, Puckleberry isn't officially together at this point. That will be happening relatively soon, however. Jesse will be making his appearance right around the same time, however he is not there to drive a wedge between Puck and Rachel. Rachel and Kurt, however, are another story. Quick warning that Finn is still an asshole in this chapter. And there will be at least one more female friend for Rachel and Quinn coming up soon.**

After Puck and Rachel found everyone else, the group hung around the park for a little bit before deciding it was getting late and they needed to head home. Well, it was Puck who decided the yawning Rachel needed to head back to her dorm.

While Quinn and Rachel said goodbye to Joe and his friends, Puck pulled Finn to the side, handing him his car keys. "You're going to offer to give my sister, Rachel's gay bestie, and his roommate a ride back to their dorm and then you're going to buy them ice cream or take them bowling or something. Just keep my sister out of her room for a little bit."

Finn sighed. "I thought you were respecting Rachel or whatever it is guys who are attempting to date a virgin do."

Puck hit Finn in the shoulder again. "Shut it. I _am_ respecting her. I just want some time alone with her without my sister breathing down my neck while I try to flirt with and maybe get a goodnight kiss from her roommate."

"God, who are you? It's like you lost your balls or something. Last semester, you would have already moved on from this chick. What is it about her that makes her so damn special? Why are you willing to jump through hoops for this girl when she's barely given you the time of day?" he asked.

"I don't know. There's something different about her, Finn. She's special, and I really like her. I don't know what it is, but I'm not giving up on her just because you don't like the new me I'm turning into because of her. If you don't like it so much, then find a new best friend."

Finn shook his head, putting a hand on Puck's shoulder. "That's not what I meant and you know it, asshole. I just mean you've changed. I don't think it's a bad thing or a good thing, I just think you're different, and I know this girl is responsible for the change."

"You don't think it's a good thing I'm no longer with a different girl every night, praying to god one of them doesn't knock on my door and tell me she's knocked up? You don't think it's a good thing that I'm not using innocent freshman for sex before throwing them aside like they mean nothing?"

"I don't know what I think!" Finn yelled, causing the girls to look over at them. Finn sighed, shaking his head. "I miss the old you. He and I had a lot of fun together. Some of my best memories are with him , and I don't want him to just disappear all of a sudden."

"Finn, he's not just disappearing all of a sudden. He's growing up, something you should consider doing as well. Rachel's the kind of girl you want to make changes for. She's the one who makes you want to be a better person. She's the kind of girl you can take home and introduce to your mama. She's the kind of girl you can marry, and I'm willing to give up being the asshole I was for her. You'll be lucky if you every meet a girl like that." He gave Finn a nod before walking over towards Rachel, leading her away from Quinn to talk to her.

Finn watched them for a moment before his eyes fell on Quinn, the girl he'd known since he was six. She wasn't that little girl anymore, and she was making him feel things he didn't want to be feeling. The feelings he was feeling when he looked at her, well they were about as far from brotherly as one could get.

He felt his fists clench for what felt like the tenth time that day as Quinn placed her hand on the guy she called Joe's arm. He'd been forced to spend most of the night watching her flirt with him, and him with her. Finn didn't trust the guy, though he knew he had no reason not to. So far, this Joe had been nothing short of polite to Quinn and everyone else. Even at the beach, he'd never once checked out Quinn's chest—he just implied that to Puck in an attempt to get Quinn away from the group of guys. Of course, Puck was only thinking about Rachel these days that it hadn't even made a blip on his radar. That, of course, left protecting Quinn's virtue to Finn, just as it had always been.

Finn strolled over to where Quinn was laughing at something Joe had said, putting an arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him with an annoyed expression, her arms crossed over her chest. "Yes?"

"We're getting out of here," Finn said, looking up as he saw Puck leading Rachel to her car, an arm around her shoulders as she leaned her head against him.

"No can do, Senor Hudson. I drove here with Rach, so she's giving me and the two idiots a ride back," Quinn said, jerking a thumb in the direction of Sam and Kurt.

"She would have been until your brother hijacked all her attention and decided he was the one giving her a ride home." He held up Puck's keys in front of her eyes. "That leaves you with me, shrimp," he teased.

Quinn did not look amused. "I'm going to kill him," she said, a frown forming on her face. She really was going to kill her brother. One day into Rachel forgiving him, and he was already back to his old tricks. "Her dorm is like, not even close to your apartment" she whined. Quinn let out a sigh before turning back to Joe. "Looks like I'm being summoned away from here," she said. She stood on her toes, giving him a hug. He pulled her up into his arms, making her laugh. "Joe! Put me down!" she giggled.

He complied, placing her back on the ground. "So Sunday, you going to come?" he asked.

Quinn nodded her head. "Of course, assuming you have something for me to wear so I don't freeze my ass off."

"Don't worry, chicken little. I do," he promised before looking over his shoulder at his friends who were waiting patiently. "Let your roommate know too. The more the merrier."

"I will, though I doubt she's going to come. She's a theater girl, but I'm sure I could blackmail her with an incriminating photo I took of her on my phone while she was sleeping," she laughed. She looked over at Finn who was tapping his foot impatiently, causing her to roll her eyes. "I'm being silently told to move my ass. Text me," she ordered before turning and jogging over to Finn. "Alright captain impatience. Let's grab the boys and head home."

"Well, I thought we'd head to Dairy Queen first like old times," he suggested. "You know, after football practice in high school when the three of us would get a post-practice treat from working so hard. Well, Puck and I would. I never saw how cheerleading was working hard," he joked.

Quinn smacked him in the shoulder. "I was a flyer, Finn. I don't think you understand how much work I did, so shush. And I also know that even if I say I don't want ice cream, you're going to insist because my brother wants me out of the room for a little bit so he can spend some alone time with my roommate who he's head-over-heels for. So alright, let me grab Sam and Kurt so you can indulge us all with some delicious frozen treats."

xxxxx

"Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom. Go."

Puck shook his head. "No, I refuse to answer this one. They're all kids and I'm 21. That's more than wrong."

Rachel and Puck were sitting on her bed in her room, playing a healthy game of 'Marry, Fuck, Kill', cartoon character edition.

"Hey, I answered the Fred, Scooby, Shaggy one, and I didn't protest about having to select what I'd do to a dog," Rachel protested, her legs resting across Puck's lap as she hugged a pillow to her chest. His back was leaned against the wall next to her bed.

Puck shook his head again. "No, if I answer that, it gives you ammunition to call me a perv for the rest of my life. Well, more than the ammunition that you currently have. I'm not saying which Powerpuff girl I'd fuck. Give me another choice or I get to ask you again."

Rachel huffed, making a face. "Fiiiiiine," she sighed. Jasmine, Ariel, and Snow White. Go."

Puck laughed. "That's an easy one. I'd marry Ariel, fuck Jasmine, and kill Snow White."

"Why would you kill Snow White? I'd think she was more marrying material. I mean, she can cook, clean, and she'd make sure the rabbits and mice didn't bother you."

"Yeah, but Ariel went to the end of the earth to be with the prince. That kind of loyalty and devotion is perfect wife material," he countered.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose so, but I'd still marry Snow White."

"Too bad it wasn't your turn," he teased, rubbing her calf gently. "I'm sticking with my answers and there's nothing you can do about it, diva."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever. That just means you're stuck with a mermaid for a wife. I can only imagine the water bill you two will rack up and how crazy you'll go with her singing how she wants to be part of your world every day," she laughed, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back slightly, resting it against the wall once more. She let out a sigh. "Quinn's going to kill me tomorrow."

"Oh? And why is my sister going to murder our dear sweet Belle?" he joked.

Rachel yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth and hide it from Puck as she did so. "Because she warned me not to fall for your charm, yet here I am, falling for you," she murmured.

"Rachel?" he asked, arching his eyebrows slightly, but she was already asleep. He hadn't realized how tired she was—if he'd known, he wouldn't have kept her up so long with that stupid game. Puck got up from the bed, shifting Rachel slightly so she was lying down instead of sitting up against the wall. She was still in her shorts and tee shirt. Puck wasn't sure if he should just cover her, but he was saved with the door opening as his sister strolled in, empty Dairy Queen cup in hand.

"Halt," she ordered, catching sight of her brother leaning over the unconscious Rachel. He had to admit, it did look a little compromising, but to be fair, he had just been trying to make her more comfortable. "Step away from the unconscious leading lady."

"I was just lying her down in bed," Puck said defensively, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at his sister. Her hair, which was messy from the beach, was thrown up into a bun atop her head. Both arms were covered in black writing—he assumed it was the number of every guy she had met at the beach today.

"Right, I'm _sure_ that's all you were doing," she said skeptically. "You were just lying her down after weaseling your way into her room for some alone bonding time without your sister breathing down your neck. Now scram. Finn's waiting in your car downstairs for you. I told him I'd send you right down after I yelled at you for trying to convince Rachel to give you a blowjob."

"I was not convincing her to give me a blowjob!" he said, rolling his eyes at his sister. "Honestly, it's like you don't even trust me." She still looked skeptical. "You can ask Rachel tomorrow when she wakes up. All we did was hang in here for a while and played 'Marry, Fuck, Kill', cartoon character edition. Then she fell asleep and I was lying her down so she wasn't sitting against the wall when you walked in."

"That's just the past hour. What about the rest of the day when you monopolized all the time with my roommate instead of letting me hang out at Pacific Park or the beach with her? She's my friend, not yours. I'm still convinced you let that ball hit you in the head to get her to feel bad for you and ditch me."

"I wish I did. It would be less embarrassing if I did instead of admitting that Rachel, who weighs six pounds, knocked me over with a volleyball to the forehead. We just went for a walk, Q. That's it."

"Right, and because you just went for a walk she was inclined to forgive you for your past indiscretions against her and spend all night with you at Pacific Park."

"Hey, you ditched her for the surfing gang. I was the only one who stuck around to hang out with Rachel at her own celebration. Some roommate you are."

"Bitch please, I only left her alone because she seemed more than cozy with you. She could barely keep her eyes off you since you two came back from your little beach stroll. You were making goo-goo eyes at each other that were so sweet, I developed a cavity. But you know what? I'm not even mad. I actually want you to be with her because you're less of an asshole when you're around her."

"What? I my sister actually telling me she wants me to date her roommate slash new best friend?"

"Not yet, though. She has to date a few frogs first. Rachel's like, never had a boyfriend. She can't just decide you're the one for her, even if she's still hung on you, despite your slutty behavior."

"Quinn…"

"Pipe down, Puck. I'm on your side, just so you know. I'm rooting for you, even if it seems that I'm doing everything in my power to keep you two apart. I want to see you two fall in love and have your happily ever after, despite all the shit you've put me through in the past with Danielle and Lucy."

"I thought we promised not to talk about that again and just forget it ever happened," he said. "You know, pretend I wasn't a total dick of a brother to you."

"Just because I said I was going to forget it ever happened doesn't mean I actually wiped it from my memory. Lucy was my best friend and after you finished with her, she started a hate website dedicated to me because she was under the assumption that I should have warned her that my brother was a sexual deviant and not to be trusted." Quinn shook her head. "But that's the past and I'd rather not talk about it, especially when your future paramour is lying three feet from us, most likely dreaming about your dumb ass."

"You think she's dreaming about me?" he smirked, looking over at Rachel who was still fast asleep, her body curled up slightly.

"Ugh, stop looking at her like that when she can't tell you to stop being a perv. It's creeping me out," Quinn ordered. Puck turned his head back to her, giving her a sheepish grin. "But yes, she probably is. She dreams about you every night. Or at least I assume she does. Why else would she whisper your name in her sleep like a lovesick puppy?"

"Wait, wait, she _says_ my name in her sleep?" he asked, turning his head once again to look back at the sleeping Rachel.

"Stop looking at her while she sleeps. You're reminding me of Edward Cullen from _Twilight_, and we both know my opinion on him and his stalker qualities," she said, sticking her tongue out at her brother. "I don't even think she knows she does it, so you're not allowed to tease her about it. I just don't want you going around thinking she doesn't like you when she goes on a double with me on Sunday."

"Excuse me?!"

"Hey, before you flip a shit, it's not even her idea. I actually haven't told her yet," Quinn admitted. "Joe asked me to go surfing with him, and we both thought it would be a great idea if Rachel came too and spent the day with one of his surfing buddies."

"You're doubling with Rachel on a _surfing_ date?" Puck seethed. "My own sister! How can you do this to me, Quinn?"

"I'm not doing anything to you, ass. You and I both know Rachel needs to date a little before she decides to tie herself down to someone. You're my brother and I love you, but you screwed the pooch by skanking it up with that girl at the bar a few weeks ago. Rachel needs to see what a real gentleman is like before deciding she's willing to give your slutty self another shot."

"Oh? And how do you know this guy's a true gentleman? He could be a total douchebag—worse than me, I mean."

"Because I talked to him, you tool. Do you really think I'd set her up with someone I didn't interrogate first? Guy's a shameless flirt, but he's sweet and perfect for Rachel. I _am_ rooting for you," she reminded him. "But I'm Rachel's wingman—er, wing girl. I have to help her bag a few hotties before I allow her to settle for the all-star jock with a bad reputation." Quinn stood on her toes, kissing her brother's cheek. "Now screw off. I'm tired as hell and Finn's still downstairs waiting for you."

Puck walked to the door, opening it. He turned back to face his sister, leaning against the open door. "Are you ever going to let me take her on a date or are you just going to let her parade these various guys in front of me?"

"Of course you can take her on a date. Just not this Sunday—that's my day. She doesn't have classes on Wednesday and she said rehearsals start this week but she said they should be done by six or seven—at least until the show gets closer. Why don't you take her out then?" Quinn suggested.

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to take her out to do?" he asked, not having a clue what kind of things Rachel would want to do on a date. He felt like he knew so much about her, but at the same time knew nothing.

"That, dear brother, is up to you. Now good night," she said, giving him a small shove, pulling her door free from him and shutting it in his face. Puck looked at the closed door for a moment, thinking to himself.

He pulled out his phone, sending a text to Finn before making his way down the hall. He read the names on all the doors before stopping in front of one, knocking a few times.

There was some muffled chatter on the other side before he heard the door knob click and the door opened. Kurt Hummel was standing there, dressed in a large tee shirt with plaid pajama bottoms on. The lights in the room were on and Puck glimpsed Sam in the background, digging through what looked like a pile of DVDs.

"Puck?" Kurt asked, giving him the once over as he leaned against the door frame. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Finn would have left by now," he said, scratching the back of his neck. Sam looked up, giving Puck a quick wave which he returned.

"Um, do you mind if I come in?" Puck asked. "I need your help with something."

Kurt seemed to think it over for a moment before nodding his head. "Yeah, come on in." He pushed the door open wider, allowing Puck to walk in before letting the door shut behind them.

**Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Okay, this is to address all the 'Quinn is a horrible sister', 'Quinn needs to butt out of their relationship', etc. reviews. I understand that to you, she may seem to be interfering with Puck's attempts to 'woo' Rachel. She in no way is trying to prevent her brother from dating Rachel. As she stated, she does want them to end up together. However, based on her past experiences with her brother, she doesn't want to see him break Rachel's heart. Next chapter, you get more of an eye into what happened between them in the past to make her distrustful of her brother around her friends. She truly does care for her brother and likes how he is with Rachel. She's just being a bit overprotective of Rachel at the moment because she doesn't want to have a repeat of what happened at the bar and have Rachel end up with her heart broken again. It may not come off that way, but everything she does is out of love.**

Kurt led Puck into his and Sam's room, watching as he took a seat on his bed. "You know, I've always pictured having a guy as hot as you in my room, but he wasn't here asking my advice on something," he said, closing the door behind him.

Sam had picked out a movie and was putting it into the DVD player as Puck walked into the room. "Isn't it a little later for a social call?" he asked, glancing at the clock.

"Isn't it a little late to start watching a movie?" Puck replied.

"Touché," Sam said, giving him a quick nod as he climbed onto his bed, lying back with his head resting on his pillow.

Sam and Kurt, though they were as good a match as Quinn and Rachel for roommates, were complete opposites when it came to their room. Sam's bed was hardly ever made. His two pillows were thrown on the bed while his covers were in a pile at the end of the bed. His things didn't match—they were mainly a collection of things he'd gotten on sale at Target or Wal-Mart when he went shopping with his dad for school things.

Kurt, on the other hand, had everything perfectly coordinated. Everything in his room looked as though it had been bought yesterday. The sheets matched the comforter which matched the curtains which matched the lamp sitting on his desk. It reminded him of Rachel's room—he wouldn't doubt it if she designed Kurt's room for him, or vice versa.

While Sam had posters of rock bands or sports teams on his side, Kurt had weird movies Puck had never heard of or Broadway musicals he'd heard Rachel mention in passing. The two sides of the room could not be more different, yet the two boys in the room seemed to already be close friends despite their differences.

Kurt was still looking at Puck as he looked around the room silently, no addressing the reason he'd decided to knock on Kurt's door at quarter to midnight. "Not that I don't appreciate the visit from the guy interested in my BFF, but I am a bit confused as to why you decided to visit right at this moment, claim you need my help, then don't go right into explaining exactly what it is I'm supposed to be helping out with."

Puck pursed his lips, taking a seat in Kurt's desk chair as the younger boy sat on his bed, his legs hanging over the edge.

"I want to take Rachel on a date. Not just any date, but the best fucking date she's ever been on."

"I don't see how that's a problem that requires my instant attention," Kurt said, his hands resting on his knees. "I'm sure this could have waited until tomorrow. Sam and I are attempting to bond over a movie."

"The problem is my sister. She goes on and on about how she's rooting for me and wants Rachel to choose me, but then she drops a fucking nuclear bomb on me and says Rachel's going on a double surfing date with her and two of the He-men they met at this beach because apparently I'm not worthy of Rachel."

"You're not," Kurt said. "Not yet, anyways. You're still a giant asshole douchebag who broke my best friend's heart after making her think she could trust you. It takes more than just a fun-filled day at the beach and amusement park to get back in her good graces."

"Hence my presence asking for your help. Let's face facts, Kurt: I'm a total dumbass. I couldn't plan an amazing date, even if my life depended on it. I don't know what she likes to do any more than I know who the president of England is."

"England doesn't have a president," Sam said, rolling his eyes from his bed.

"My point exactly! I'm a dumb jock who's gotten by in life from a combination of good looks and the ability to convince smart girls to do anything for me. That's worked for me up until Rachel. She saw me for what I am, laughed in my face, and made me fall for her. She's like no one I've ever met, but she makes me want to change and leave the dick I am behind. She deserves more than just dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings."

"Of course she does. She's a fucking diva. She demands more than that. Lucky for you, I agree with your sister."

"How so?" Puck asked.

"I'm on your side," Kurt promised. "Well, actually I'm on Rachel's side, but I want you two to end up together, and I'm positive anything after a surfing date will be amazing to her. I don't know what kind of idiot thinks it's a good idea to take a future Broadway star out surfing. Rachel likes nice things—you know, dinner at a fancy restaurant followed by a show at the theater. I know you live life on a budget, so that's out. She also likes dancing and singing, and she has a love for all things from the fifties and sixties."

"Huh?"

"Think _Grease_. I can't tell you how many times I did the 'You're the One That I Want' routine with her over the years. She loves that whole old school diner and drive-in movie thing. Don't ask me why—she's just weird like that, I suppose."

"So take her dancing and then out to get a milk shake?" Puck asked, scratching his head a little.

Kurt face palmed. "No, that's not what I'm saying. Take everything I just told you and think it over. Think about what you know about Rachel and what she likes. You need to appeal to her interests. Do something she would want to do, not something that's easy or that you want to do. You want to impress her, so show her you were paying attention when she was telling you all about her life before. That's how you'll get her to realize you're worth giving another shot."

"You think?" Puck asked.

"Well, sure. She likes you, and based on how you're willing to jump through hoops for her, I'd say you're crazy about her as well. Whenever she's around you, you can't keep your eyes off her. That tells me you're already under her spell. She's got you wrapped around her little finger, and you don't even realize it. Hell, even if you did realize it, you won't care because you're head over ass for her."

"Yeah, I am," Puck admitted. He felt as though Kurt (and Sam too, he guessed) could be trusted with this. He didn't see them blabbing everything he was saying to Rachel the next day. "Oh, do you think she'd get mad if I gave her a jersey with my number to wear to the football game next weekend? I made a bet with her that she had to wear it if I won, but I don't know if she was being serious about it," he said.

Kurt shook his head. "No, she'd totally wear it, but only if you gave it to her and told her you wanted her to wear it. But Puck, don't fuck around with her if you do that. Only give her the jersey if you're serious about not being a dick and screwing around with anything that walks."

"I am," he said. "The last girl I dated was a sorority girl who was STD central, and I only dated her because she wouldn't sleep with me unless I asked her out. But I don't feel that way with Rachel. I don't want to jerk her around like I do with every other girl. I want to show her I'm serious about her. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Give her the jersey, then. Do that, and she's yours."

xxxxx

By the time Puck left (after planning out every detail of his upcoming surprise date with Rachel and running it past Kurt and Sam), Kurt decided it was too late for him and Sam to watch their movie. They rescheduled it for the next night, but somehow Kurt figured that wasn't going to end up happening due to the two eighteen-year-old girls living down the hall from them.

Rachel and Quinn had a habit of interrupting Kurt and Sam any time they planned on spending time together, just guys. It wasn't that Kurt didn't like spending time with Rachel or Quinn. He loved it, actually. He couldn't imagine a better friend for Rachel, and when they four of them got together, they could talk for hours about nothing.

But he still wanted time of just him and his roommate. Rachel and Quinn were practically attached at the hip, so they got no shortness of time to spend with each other. Even with Quinn's brother sneaking in time with Rachel and her play practice, the two girls still spent the majority of the day together with the exception of class.

Kurt and Sam, however, seemed to be on opposite schedules. They were only around each other before heading to class in the morning and after classes let out. Kurt preferred the library while Sam studied in their room. When they were finally just in their room, both of their beds seemed to be filled with Rachel and Quinn who had found some excuse for being in the boys' room instead of their own.

Even on the weekends, Rachel was always pulling Kurt away from spending time with his roommate. Saturday morning, she showed up at his room just after eight, pounding on the door. Kurt, who had been asleep moments before she showed up, groaned and opened his eyes, glancing at the clock. Of course, he knew it was Rachel—who else would be at his door when normal people were asleep?

"Diva, I swear I'm going to ban you from ever showing up at our room," he grumbled, climbing out of bed. He yawned, unlocking the door and opening it. Rachel didn't bother waiting to be invited in. Instead, she strolled right in as if she lived in the dorm room with Kurt and Sam. She was in tight black shorts with a tee shirt. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she had colored running sneakers on. "What do you want?" he asked, covering his mouth as he let out another yawn.

Rachel rolled her eyes, tapping her foot impatiently. "I see you forgot all about our running plans," she said, her voice annoyed. "Though I don't see how when we've gone running every Saturday since forever. Come on, get ready. I don't want to have to run all by myself," she ordered.

Kurt made a face before climbing back into bed. "Find a new running partner for today. I'm tired."

"No one else will come with me. Quinn threw her pillow at my head when I woke her up to ask her if she wanted to come, and Sam's still sleeping," she said, glancing over at Kurt's roommate."

"What about roomie's hot bro?" Kurt asked.

"Football practice. They always have it all day Saturday and Sunday since it's the two days of the week none of them have class or whatever." She walked over, slipping her shoes off and slid into bed next to Kurt, stealing one of his pillows.

"What's going on with the two of you?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean what's going on with the two of us?" she asked, rolling onto her side so she was facing him.

"I mean what's up with you and him? You disappear at the beach yesterday with him, and both of you return with shit-eating grins on your faces. Then he monopolizes your time at Pacific Park, and you end up leaving with him and forcing me to endure a car ride and ice cream with Finn Hudson, who by the way is the most boring guy in the world. That's not typical Rachel Berry behavior. Spill."

Rachel bit her lower lip before smiling sheepishly "We kissed yesterday."

"Hold on, back up," Kurt interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You _what_?"

"We kissed. Well, I kissed him to get him to shut up and stop being a martyr. It worked, by the way. He was so caught off guard, but he did kiss me back when he realized what I was doing. Of course, it didn't last long because all of a sudden I got self-conscious and shy. But it was nice, you know. He's a good kisser."

"With all the practice he's had, I would imagine so," Kurt teased. "Better than me?"

"No offense, but yes," Rachel admitted.

"To be fair, he's straight and lusting after you while I was not. Still, I'm glad you found someone who's a total babe, even if he is an ass." Rachel gave him a look. "Well he is. I won't mention his past indiscretions against you since I have a feeling you'd rather forget that night."

"He's trying to be less of one, you know," she pointed out. "He's sweet when he wants to be," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist as she snuggled closer to Kurt.

"So does that mean when he eventually asks you out, you're going to say yes?" he asked.

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, it's not like I'm totally over him skanking it up in that bar, but I'm also not willing to torture him forever for it. I'm sure he'll get bored of his whole playing hard to get after a while and move on from me, and I don't want that. So I guess yeah, I would say yes, assuming he doesn't turn back into a douche overnight," she added.

"I'm pretty sure he won't," Kurt said, kissing her forehead. "He's into you. Like, _way_ into you. I guess this means I'll have to find a new snuggle buddy soon," he teased.

Rachel lightly hit him in the chest. "Right, like you haven't found one already in the cute bartender. What's going on with you two?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Nothing," Kurt promised. "Not yet, anyways. We've just been talking. He hasn't texted me since we left with Finn the Bore. Maybe he thinks I'm too young for him," Kurt said with a shrug.

Rachel waved her hand dismissively. "Age is nothing but a number. I don't see why he should be getting his panties in a twist because you happen to be eighteen. You're legal."

"You're acting like the first thing I'm going to do is sleep with him," Kurt commented. "I'm a virgin, slut."

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "You may not be thinking of it, but I'm sure Blaine the non-virgin is every time he sees your cute butt," she teased. "And if he can't get past the fact that you're only a college freshman, me and my Prada heels are going to have to march over to his apartment and explain how badass and amazing Kurt Hummel is," she laughed.

Rachel felt a pillow hit Kurt's bed where her body was. She turned her head a little to see Sam rolling over, his covers hiding his entire body. "Rach, you know I love you and everything, but it's still early morning and I am trying to sleep," Sam mumbled. "So shut your mouth before I shut it for you—I say that with as much love as possible," he added.

Rachel covered her mouth, laughing silently. "Oops," she whispered to Kurt. "I guess we were being kind of loud."

Kurt shook his head. "Not us. _You_. You were being loud," he teased, rolling over a little so his back was facing her. He let out another yawn, intending on going back to sleep.

"Hey Kurt?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm going crazy," she murmured.

Kurt rolled back over, facing her once again. "You're just realizing this now? I've known that you were insane from the moment I met you, but I have the feeling you're being serious for once in your life. What's troubling you, doll?"

"Last night, I swore I saw someone I knew at Pacific Park," she said, thinking back to the few seconds she glimpsed Jesse walking by her, the way he had winked as though he recognized her…

"Who was it?" he asked.

"Jesse St. James. You know, from sophomore year?" she reminded him.

"Of course I remember him. I don't forget assholes like him easily. Didn't he shout that we were all Lima losers and call you a stuck-up, frigid bitch after he and Vocal Adrenaline beat us at sectionals?" he asked.

Rachel nodded her head. "Something to that effect, at least. I thought I saw him last night. I mean, maybe I was just imagining things, but someone who looked just like him walked by me and winked at me like he knew me. It couldn't have been Jesse, right?" she asked.

Kurt shrugged. "I mean, I guess it could have, but who cares. He's just some ass you went on one date with. So what if he's in LA. It's not like that's going to have any bearing on you or your life," he said, rolling back over. "Now listen to Sam and shut your trap. I'm still tired after entertaining your boy for a few hours last night."

"What?" Rachel asked, sitting up a little. "Noah was here?"

"Diva, later," Kurt groaned. "Let me sleep."

Rachel sighed, lying back down in Kurt's bed. She thought over her glimpse of Jesse from the night before, her heart racing a tad as his face came into her mind. She couldn't help how her body reacted when she thought of him—he was her first love. That didn't just go away.

If Jesse really was in LA, she didn't know what that meant for her, especially now that he knew she was here as well. If he really was here, she had to come clean to Kurt about what really went on between the two of them. She knew he'd never forgive her if he found out from someone else. But if he ound out from her…well, he'd be pissed, but he'd get over it.

And Noah. She had to tell Noah too. He deserved to know about her history with Jesse, especially if he was here to make trouble for her.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone! So we get to meet Joe more this chapter. Enjoy!**

"I still can't believe I let Quinn talk me into doing this," Rachel muttered, sitting atop the surfboard in the water, rocking slightly due to the ocean's current. Rachel had spent most of Saturday in Kurt and Sam's room. After falling asleep, she'd woken up and forced Kurt to go running with her.

After a short run, the two Ohio natives returned to their building, both heading to their respective rooms to shower and change. They'd decided to go out to lunch, a common Saturday event for the two. Rachel wanted to try out all the restaurants in Los Angeles before she graduated, so she planned to get an early start on that very long list.

When she walked into her room, feeling much sweatier than when she had left earlier, she found Quinn sitting at her desk, typing away on her laptop. Most of the things Quinn owned were old and worn, her laptop included. Rachel often felt bad when she pulled out her brand new Macbook while Quinn was using an old HP that overheated constantly. Hell, half of Rachel's clothes were worth more than the majority of the things Quinn owned.

Quinn never complained, however. She never showed any ounce of jealousy that Rachel was more privileged than she was, and Rachel never threw her wealth in Quinn's face.

Quinn had looked up when Rachel walked in, a sheepish grin on her face. "Hey sugar," she greeted, her new name for Rachel. Kurt was always calling her diva or doll, so Quinn decided she needed her own name for Rachel. Her reasoning had been that she was sweet as sugar. Rachel didn't bother reminding her that the girl Finn had been sucking face with at the bar had been named Sugar.

"Hola senorita Fabray," Rachel had replied with a smile, falling onto her bed. Normally, she would have gone right to the shower, but she was too tired to walk down the hall towards the bathroom at the moment.

"Tomorrow—you busy?"

Rachel thought it over for a moment before she shook her head. "Nope," she said, accentuating the P sound. "Kurt hasn't roped me into anything at the moment and rehearsals aren't beginning until Monday. What have you got planned, darling?"

"You, me, and two ridiculously adorable surfer guys. Please say you'll come," Quinn had begged.

"Aw hell, Quinn. Did you set me up on a blind double with you and that Joe guy?" she asked, groaning slightly.

"Technically no. We're just going surfing, but it can be a blind date if you want it to be."

Rachel shook her head. "I don't want it to be anything. I'm not an athlete. I'm a dancer. I don't surf, and I don't go on dates with guys I've never met."

"But you met Chris yesterday," Quinn pointed out. "He's really sweet and he thinks you're totally adorable despite your freakish behavior," she teased. "Please? It's not even a date, really. It's just four friends hanging out and attempting to surf," she begged. "I'll be your slave all next week. Hell, I'll even wake up at the crack of dawn and go running with you if it'll get you to say yes. I don't want to make an ass of myself on a surfboard all by my lonesome. Please please please please please?"

How could she say no to that?

"Hello? Earth to Rachel," Chris teased, looking over at her from his surfboard. They'd been in the water for about two hours now and Rachel was making some real progress. She may not have been overly athletic, but she was coordinated which allowed her to pick up the sport relatively easily.

Quinn, however, had not been as lucky. She was currently on the beach with Joe. She'd managed to stand up on the board for two seconds before promptly falling off and hitting her head. She claimed she was fine, but Joe had forced her onto the beach in case she had a concussion. He wanted her to go to the emergency room, but that had been where Quinn drew the line. Instead, the two of them were on the beach watching Rachel and Chris in the water while carrying on a quiet conversation with one another.

"Sorry," Rachel apologized, turning her attention back to Chris. The entire day, Chris had been nothing short of a perfect gentleman. He listened to every word Rachel said and didn't attempt to monopolize the conversation bragging about himself. Plus, it helped that he was incredibly attractive. He was over six feet tall with shaggy brown hair and very defined abs. Had Rachel not met Puck first, she could definitely see herself dating Chris. Of course, that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon.

Fortunately, Chris knew that from the moment he started talking to Rachel. She couldn't seem to stop talking about Puck, and their 'date' had essentially turned into a giant therapy session, complete with Chris giving her advice about what to do about Puck.

"Like I was saying before you so kindly zoned out and ignored me," Chris teased, splashing her slightly. "I understand your hesitation about jumping into a relationship head first with this guy, as you should be. He really screwed things up by hooking up with that girl right in front of you."

"To be fair, he was drunk and thought I was on a date with some other guy," she said, feeling the need to defend Puck to Chris.

"Do you realize every time I say something negative about Puck, you instantly jump to his defense? You're like his own personal cheerleader, which seems appropriate with him being the big football star on campus or whatever it is he plays," Chris laughed.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Yes, he plays football, but I do not _always_ jump to his defense," she protested.

"According to your roommate you do. Anytime someone says something bad about him, she says you instantly come up with an excuse for whatever it was that he did."

"What else did she tell you about me and him?"

"Just that he's very experienced when it comes to matters of the bedroom while you're very inexperienced. She gave me a full sexual history on her brother—something I could have gone my whole life without hearing," he added.

"Will you stop me if I try and strangle her?" Rachel asked. "I don't want my roommate going around explaining my entire life's story to people I've never met," she said.

"Oh relax, would you?" Chris laughed. "I'm not going to tell anyone. Besides, I think I'm giving you pretty good advice, don't you agree?"

Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose so," she said. "I'm still not sure what I should do about him and I," she admitted.

Chris smiled a little. "Alright, let me ask you a few questions. Don't think about it. Just answer." Rachel nodded her head. "Do you like him?"

"Yes," she said instantly, surprising herself a little at that. "I like him a lot, actually."

"Do you want to go out with him?"

Rachel nodded her head. "I do," she said.

"Are you still pissed about what happened at the bar a few weeks ago?"

"No," Rachel said, not even hesitating. "I don't care about it anymore."

Chris smiled at her. "Well then, I think you're ready for him. You obviously really like this guy, and from what you've said about him and how he's been behaving since the infamous bar performance, he feels the same way about you. I'd be shocked if he isn't planning on asking you on a date anytime soon."

Rachel smiled a little. "You're really good at this, you know. This talking and giving people advice thing."

"Well, I want to be a counselor when I finally graduate from school. You know, someone people can come to for advice on their problems. I guess it just comes natural to me."

"Can I ask you one more thing?"

"You can ask me anything, Rachel. Except to go on another fake date with you," he teased. "Looks like I'll have to find a new surfing buddy now that you're going to be off the market and Joe can't pull himself away from Quinn for more than a minute."

Rachel laughed a little at that. "Too true," she teased. "I was wondering…how much about my old relationships should I tell Noah?" she asked.

"This sounds like more than just a simple crush you had when you were ten," he said.

Rachel nodded her head. "I had a boyfriend before. A real boyfriend, I mean. I dated my best friend for over a year, but that was so he didn't have to come out to the whole school and announce he took it up the ass. I told Noah about that, but I may have made it sound like that was the only boyfriend I've ever had."

"This other guy, the real boyfriend—are you ashamed of him or something?" Chris asked curiously.

Rachel thought about that for a moment. "Not exactly. Things didn't end well between us—I caught him making out with another girl in the back of his car. But last time we were at the beach, I swore I saw him there. I used to think I saw him all the time, but that stopped a year after I dumped him."

"I feel like you're not telling me the whole story," Chris said, paddling his board slightly so he was closer to Rachel. He fixed his gaze on her, his arms hanging at his sides.

"Jesse was the first guy who ever really showed an interest in me. He was a few years older than me, and when we first started dating everything was perfect. I never told Kurt about him, though. Jesse went to our rival school, and I knew he'd never understand why I was dating him if he found out about us. We dated during the time when I was preparing for the spring musical. I was the lead, of course, and as a sophomore I was feeling pretty nervous.

"At first, he used to help me practice my lines, my songs, everything. He was wonderful, really. But after a few months, he changed. He began telling me how ugly I was, how untalented I was and how he could never understand how I got the lead. He knew what I was insecure about and drilled that into me. I know I seem confident now, but it took lots of therapy for me to get this way. After Jesse did his work on me, I was a shell of the person I once was.

"When I performed in the musical, it was my worst performance to date. I didn't have the confidence I needed to go out on stage, and it showed when I sang. A few months later was when I caught him cheating, but the damage had been done. At sectionals, I was still that same, timid girl Jesse had turned me into, and we did terribly.

"I don't think he ever really cared about me. I think it was all some elaborate scheme to throw me off my game and make us lose sectionals. We were their biggest competition, and they were going for a fifth straight national's title. They couldn't risk losing to us. My dads put me in therapy right after the loss, and it took a while for me to get back to normal.

"After everything that happened with him, I put this wall up around me. I didn't want someone getting close to me again and let them destroy me like that. Of course, Quinn's brother managed to both demolish those walls and prove to me I was right to have them up in the first place after about a day. He doesn't know about Jesse or what he did to me, and I don't know if I should tell him. What if Jesse really is here? I don't want him finding out by meeting Jesse and having him tell Noah some lie he made up about me."

Chris had stayed silent through the whole store. He just nodded his head, thinking the whole thing over. Well, you need to be honest with him. All the problems you two have had so far have come from a lack of honesty and communication. Puck went on that date because he didn't ask about Will while you never bothered to tell him about it in the first place. I'm not trying to say what he did was right, but it all could have been avoided if you two had just talked about it before you even bothered going to that bar to meet Will. Unless you want the same thing happening again, I'd be honest and straight with him, sooner rather than later."

Rachel smiled at him, thanking him. She glanced over at the beach, catching sight of Quinn still sitting there, a towel wrapped around her. Joe was still seated beside her, both of them switching between looking at the surfers and looking at each other.

"So how long have you two been friends for?" Joe asked Quinn, jerking his head towards Rachel, who was standing on the surfboard while Chris shouted encouragements towards her.

"We just met a few weeks ago, actually. I didn't know her before I moved in, but we clicked and now you'd need a knife to tear us apart," she laughed.

"What about her and your brother?" he asked.

Quinn shook her head. "Can we please not talk about my brother right now?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, his eyebrows creasing in confusion. "Am I missing something?"

Quinn sighed. "All I ever hear about now is him. Rachel's always bringing him up, analyzing every little thing he ever said to her. I love her to death, but sometimes I want girl talk that doesn't involve my brother."

"I thought you would want to hear about how well your roommate and brother are getting along," Joe commented.

"Puck and I have a very complicated relationship. He's only my half-brother, but for most of our lives, we were really close. Of course, my ex-best friend Lucy changed that. Lucy and I had been friends since before we could talk. Her mom and my mom were college roommates, and when my mom married my dad and moved with baby Puck to California, Lucy's mom ended up moving there too with her new husband. Lucy and I were born about a month apart, and it was just natural we'd be friends.

"We both liked a lot of the same things. We would do everything together. When we were ten, we made a promise we'd get married on the same day to two brothers so we'd officially be family. I was a weird kid, I know," she laughed hugging her knees to her chest. "We also went to the same church. My mom is Jewish, but my dad is Christian. They let me decide when I was twelve what I wanted to do, and I decided to follow my dad. I also wanted to be the same as Lucy, I guess," she admitted.

Joe smiled a little, putting an arm around her shoulders. He rubbed her back slightly, staying quiet to let her keep talking.

"For as long as I can remember, my brother has always been a slut. He started sneaking girls into his room when he was thirteen. He lost his virginity before he was in high school, and he never kept the same girl around for long enough. Lucy and I both saw this first hand, but she was under the impression she was that one girl who could change him. I knew she liked him—she always told me how cute Puck was and how all the other girls he would bring back weren't worthy of him.

"I think it was my freshman year when she finally convinced him to give her a shot. Puberty was really kind to Lucy, so that was when Puck finally started noticing her. I think they dated for two months before he inevitably ended things because he couldn't stand missing out on all the other girls walking around school. Lucy had always been very vocal about waiting until marriage, so I was stunned when I found out she had slept with my brother.

"Two weeks after they broke up was when she stopped talking to me. She thought it was my fault that she gave it up to Puck because I should have _warned_ her that he'd dump her right after she slept with him. I told her she knew what he was like after spending all her life watching him parade girls past us. She told me I was a stuck up bitch with a skank brother and she regretted ever being friends with me. She ended up making a hate website about me. It ended up not mattering because she and her parents moved across the country two months later." Quinn sighed. "Look, I love my brother, but he cost me my best friend. I finally found someone who can replace Lucy, and it's like history is repeating itself. It took Puck all of two seconds to flirt with Rachel. I don't want him to screw her over and force me to lose another friend because he thinks with his penis and not his brain."

Joe nodded his head, staying quiet for a few minutes. "Look, I understand what your brother did was pretty awful, but don't you think it's time to let it go? He was just a kid then. I'm sure it wasn't his intention to ruin your relationship with your best friend, just like he isn't trying to come between you and Rachel. Besides, from everything I've heard so far, history isn't repeating itself save for that one night. He's trying to be less of a slut around her."

Quinn nodded her head. "He is," she agreed. "He's actually a good person around her. She's been a good influence on her, but I guess I feel a sense of protectiveness for her. It's part of the reason I made her come today. I wanted her to spend time with someone who isn't a slutty football player, and Chris was the perfect guy, but I don't think that's really why. Maybe I'm jealous of all the attention she's getting from him while I can't even get his best friend to notice I exist. I'm…I'm scared that if she starts dating him, I'll be left all alone again. She'll forget all about me and my brother will have stolen another best friend from me."

"Hey, that's not going to happen," Joe said.

"How do you know?" Quinn asked quietly, her chin resting on top of her knees. "Rachel's this confident person who everyone loves. Every guy we meet falls in love with her and I couldn't even get the president of the chess club to ask me to prom."

"Quinn, look at me," Joe ordered. Quinn shook her head. "Please?" he asked.

With a sigh, Quinn turned her head to the side and turned her face up a little, where her lips came into contact with Joe's. He placed a hand on the side of her face, pulling her close to him. Quinn gasped slightly, though she fell into Joe's embrace after a few moments. She closed her eyes, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Joe eventually pulled back, a smile on his lips. He kissed her forehead as Quinn opened her eyes, looking up at Joe. "Don't let anyone make you think you're not as pretty or desirable as someone else. You are beautiful, Quinn Fabray. Anyone who doesn't see that is crazy."

**Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone. You're all awesome. **_**Heavy**_** Puckleberry the next two chapters. However, after the next chapter there's going to be a small hiatus until the beginning of May. I have the next chapter written and that's it for prewritten chapters. I have exams coming up, so I'm not going to be able to write until they're done. Expect a new update either May 6****th**** or May 11****th****. I feel as though with the next chapter you're both going to love me and hate me for how I'm leaving things.**

**Oh, and the new update goes for all my stories. At that time, I'll update my other two stories as well. Enjoy!**

Joe and Chris dropped the girls off at their dorm after a few more hours of surfing. Joe had lent Quinn his sweatshirt while Rachel was going home with Chris' shirt over her bikini. She promised to return it, but Chris told her it was no big deal. "I got that shirt for free from some shit on campus last year," he told her, giving her a smile.

The boys walked Rachel and Quinn to the front door of their building, giving them each a hug before departing. Rachel noticed the smile Quinn had on her face as they walked inside, but decided not to ask about it until they were alone.

Of course, as soon as they were safe inside their room, she pounced. "Okay, what happened on the beach with you and Joe?" she asked, pulling Chris' shirt off and dropped it on the floor. She walked over to their dresser, pulling out a tank top and sweatpants along with undergarments. She began changing as Quinn formulated a response to her demand.

"What do you mean what happened?" Quinn asked, hugging her arms around her chest tightly in an effort to pull Joe's sweatshirt close to her without making it obvious she was doing so. "We were watching you and Chris surf. Well, watch Chris teach you how to surf. You've got it down pretty good for someone who claims they're not athletic," she said in an attempt to change the subject.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Flattery won't work on me, Fabray. You've got this goofy grin on your face and you totally held onto the dreadlock king for a few seconds longer than necessary when he gave you a hug goodbye. So spill. I demand juicy, gory details," she teased, pulling her saltwater-infused hair up into a bun atop her head before falling back onto her bed.

Quinn climbed into bed with Rachel, the two girls lying side by side, hands clasped as they stared up at the rotating ceiling fan. "He kissed me."

Rachel sat straight up, letting out an excited sort of squeal. "Really?!" she gasped. Quinn nodded her head, sitting up as well. "Oh Quinnie, I'm so happy for you!" Rachel exclaimed, throwing her arms around Quinn and pulled her into a tight hug. "Someone's not a lip virgin anymore," she teased.

Quinn smiled, her cheeks a little pink. "No I'm not. These lips got a kiss. And, if they have their way, they'll be getting a lot more lip action from Mister Joe Hart."

"Oh my gosh, this is so exciting!" Rachel laughed, lying back down. Quinn mimicked her actions, resting her head against Rachel's shoulder. "I can't believe you got your first kiss, especially from someone as hot as Joe. Definitely an improvement from my first kiss," she laughed.

"Who was yours?" Quinn asked, not having gotten the story from Rachel yet.

"Kurt. We dated freshman and sophomore year, though really it was just me pretending to be his girlfriend so he didn't have to come out to anyone, especially himself. We kissed a few times, but he was my first. Definitely not the same as kissing a hot surfer from California."

"Except the poser isn't even from Cali," Quinn said, turning her head to look at Rachel. "He's an imposter. He was giving me shit about not being a real Californian since I'd never been surfing, but the bitch isn't even a real Californian himself."

"He's not?" Rachel asked. "Where's he from?"

"Hawaii. Which, you know, is beyond hot, but not the point. He owes me a cane of Coke now," she said. "I made him promise after he told me coming to USC was the first time he'd ever been outside of Hawaii."

"That's probably why he's an insanely good surfer. Isn't that what people do there? Surf and sit on the beach?" Rachel laughed.

"Probably. I mean, wouldn't you if your entire state was one giant beach?"

Rachel nodded her head. "I'd never wear clothes. I'd just stay in my bikini all day and love life. You should convince him to take you to Hawaii with him just so you can go," she giggled. "I mean, he kissed you. That's the step right before he proposes," she teased.

Quinn shoved her slightly. "Shut up," she laughed. "Does that mean you and my brother are joining Joe and I since you two shared some lip action as well?" Quinn teased, snuggling her head against Rachel.

Rachel giggled quietly. "Only time will tell."

Quinn pursed her lips a little before speaking. "I'm really sorry for making you come with me today, Rachel. I know you didn't want to go on a date with Chris and I shouldn't have made you come."

Rachel shook her head. "I had fun," she said. "I don't care that you made me come. It ended up being really great. Did you know Chris wants to be a therapist or something? We spent most of the day talking about me and your brother. He gave me some good advice about everything. He's like, the college dating guru," she laughed.

"Advice must run in the water at USC because Joe gave me advice about my brother as well. I'm also sorry for being a meddling bitch and not letting him properly court you. I let my feelings about him get in the way of realizing you're happy when he's around and he's less of an asshole when you're with him. I should have backed off from the moment you decided to forgive him instead of preventing him from spending some time with you. I promise to be the most supportive friend from now on."

"Do you mind me asking what happened between the two of you?" Rachel asked, turning her head to look at Quinn.

Quinn shrugged. "You know, normal brother-sister stuff. It happened when we were in high school. You have to understand, I love my brother more than anything else in the world, but you've seen what he's like. He was the same back when we were in high school as well. You know, different girl every week kind of thing. I had a really good friend back then named Lucy. We'd known each other our wholes lives, so of course she fell in love with my brother.

"They did date eventually, and he managed to get her to sleep with him despite her desire to wait until marriage. My guess is she thought she was going to lose him if they didn't have sex, but once she gave it up there was no reason for him to keep her around. She blamed me for not warning her about how much of an ass he was and stopped talking to me. I've pretty much blamed him for losing me my best friend." Quinn gave Rachel's hand a squeeze. "That's why I've been so protective when it comes to you. You're my best friend, Rachel. I know we're just roommates and we haven't known each other very long, but I feel like you're one of those people you meet once in a lifetime, and I don't want my brother coming between us like he did with me and Lucy."

Rachel sat up, throwing her arms around Quinn. "Oh sweetie, he's never going to come between us. I don't care what happens. He can completely screw me over and crush my heart into a thousand pieces. That isn't going to change anything between us. Well, maybe a little, but I'm not going to dump the best girl friend I've ever had because of her smelly brother," she teased.

"Promise?" Quinn asked.

Rachel nodded her head. "Pink promise," she said, hooking her pinky with Quinn's. "We'll be best friends forever, no matter what.

xxxxx

"I can't believe Artie picked _her_ as the lead."

"She doesn't even look like Belle."

"I bet she gave him a blowjob or something. How else could a fucking _freshman_ get the lead role her first semester?"

Rachel had grown accustomed to the whispers behind her back during rehearsals. They had started the first day and continued to persist each additional day. As someone who spent most of high school as an outcast, they didn't bother her much. Mercedes Jones, the senior she'd met during her audition, had proven to be a great ally to have. She and her boyfriend (who happened to be playing Gaston to Rachel's Belle) always had kind words of encouragement to say to Rachel. Mercedes seemed to be pleased with her role as Mrs. Potts and held no bitter feelings over Rachel landing the role of Belle.

"You even look the part," Mercedes told her Wednesday during rehearsal. "You've got the brown hair, the genuine smile, the snarky attitude, yet you have this innocence radiating off you. Perfect Belle qualities."

Rachel and Mercedes were seated in the audience along with the rest of the enchanted castle cast while the "Gaston" number was rehearsed on stage. Tina was attempted to teach the guys the choreography, but a few seemed to be having trouble picking it up. Shane, despite his large size, seemed to be quite light on his feet. He was even helping some of the other guys learn their steps.

"I radiate innocence?" Rachel asked with a soft laugh. "I wasn't aware that was a possible characteristic for someone to possess."

"Well, you somehow manage to do it. I mean, you're always dressed in these adorable outfits that make you look beyond cute but also so pure at the same time." Rachel looked down at herself. She was dressed in a light purple skirt that fell just above her knees with a white tank top. She had a short sleeved white sweater over top of it along with white, strappy corked wedges.

"It's one of the perks of having a gay best friend," Rachel joked. "He has my clothes for the next month already planned out." Mercedes and Kurt still had yet to meet, but Rachel was keen to introduce them. She just knew they'd get along famously.

"Ah yes, the infamous Kurt you so often talk about," Mercedes laughed, rolling her eyes as Jeff, the boy playing LeFou, stumbled and fell in his attempt to show off for all the girls watching him. A few girls giggled, causing his face to turn red. "Can I hire him to coordinate my clothes as perfectly as he plans yours?" she joked, elbowing Rachel carefully in the shoulder.

"Sorry, I'm insanely selfish and possessive of him," Rachel stated, a grin on her face. "Maybe I'll loan him out to you for Shane's fraternity's semi-formal."

"Deal," Mercedes said, watching as Tina lost her cool, beginning to yell at the guys.

"Stop, stop, stop!" she shouted, throwing her arms up in the air. "You're lucky I'm not a rash person or I'd replace each and every last one of you," she threatened, pointing her fingers at each of the guys surrounding her save for Shane. "Gaston seems to be the only one of you with any rhythm in his body," she snapped, shooing them off the stage. "Alright, I need to see something good after that train wreck. Where's our Belle? I want to hear 'Home'. Don't worry about doing any of the choreography—I know we haven't gone over that yet. Grab your script." Tina turned to face the crowd of actors, all of whom were seated in the seats in the auditorium as Rachel made her way to the stage, her highlighted script clutched in her left hand.

Artie wheeled to the front beside Tina, turning to face everyone along with her. Emma Pillsbury, still representing Sue, was seated off to the side, keeping an eye on everyone. "I've heard the talk around here, the rumors about Rachel none of you seem to care about repeating without checking your facts. I know we haven't had a freshman as a lead in a long time, but this chick is the real deal."

Tina nodded in agreement. "You all know I wouldn't have let Artie cast her if I really didn't believe she could do it. Since all you traitors seem to doubt us, however, we want to _show_ you why Rachel Berry is the best girl for the job. If you're not convinced after hearing her, well there's the door and don't let it hit your ass on the way out," Tina said, pointing towards the back of the auditorium.

Artie nodded at Rachel as she climbed onto the stage. She glanced down at the script before shaking her head. "I already have the words for this song memorized. I've been singing it since I can remember," she said to him, placing it at the edge of the stage before rising back up. Rachel took a few steps back so she was in the middle of the stage.

She could feel everyone's eyes on her, silently judging her. Here she was, this eighteen-year-old girl none of them knew and they were trusting her to carry this show. Rachel had yet to sing in front of everyone. Artie and Tina were the only ones who knew the power of her voice so far. They'd only done a reading of the show and focused on learning the choreography. No singing yet.

Rachel looked over at Brad, the pianist and nodded her head. They didn't have the rest of the orchestra at rehearsals yet—that would come later once they were all much more prepared.

Rachel closed her eyes, not wanting to see everyone looking at her as she attempted to sing and impress all of them.

_Yes, I made the choice  
For papa I will stay  
But I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way  
You monster!_

Rachel held her hands together, pressing them into her stomach as she sang. She stood still on the stage, her feet slightly apart. She kept her face trained straight ahead of her, though her eyes remained closed.

_If you think that what you've done is right  
Well then…you're a fool  
Think again._

Rachel opened her eyes to look towards Artie and Tina, both of whom were nodding their heads. Rachel was beyond grateful to them for deciding to take a chance on her. She wasn't going to make them regret it. She was already working hard, but she'd put everything into this show to make it her best performance ever.

_Is this home?  
Is this where I should learn to be happy?  
Never dreamed  
That a home could be  
Dark and cold  
I was told  
Every day in my childhood  
Even when we grow old  
Home will be where the heart is  
Never were words so true  
My heart's far, far away  
Home is too._

Rachel turned her head slightly to look upon Mercedes and Shane. The two of them were sitting alone, their full attentions devoted to Rachel on stage. Mercedes gave her an encouraging nod, causing Rachel to smile a little in the song.

_Is this home?  
Is this what I must learn to believe in?  
Try to find, something good  
In this tragic place  
Just in case  
I should stay here forever  
Held in this empty space  
Oh but that won't be easy  
I know the reason why  
__My heart's far, far away  
Home's a lie_

Emma, the TA and current advisor to the musical, watched Rachel with curious eyes. She couldn't say that she was very into theater. In fact, Emma tended to avoid most theatrical productions of any kind. She never went to movie theaters or regular theaters. The thought of having to sit in a chair that countless people before her had sat in scared the living daylights out of her. Being in _this_ theater gave her anxiety, but Dr. Sylvester had promised her an incredible letter of recommendation that would land her any job she wanted if she oversaw the student musical production. Dr. Sylvester would normally have done it herself, but she was much too busy these days between teaching and being a new mother to her baby, Robin. Her therapist also thought it would be good for her.

Despite the fact that everyone here was a few years younger than her and ten times more talented than she could ever hope to be, Emma was actually enjoying herself. Artie and Tina seemed glad to have someone younger around as opposed to Dr. Sylvester, and the actors and actresses were very entertaining to watch.

_What I'd give  
To return  
To the life that I knew lately  
But I know, that I can't  
Solve my problems going back._

Rachel looked over in the direction of Wes Montgomery, the senior who was playing the Beast. It seemed that the majority of the major roles were being played by seniors and juniors. There were very few freshmen in the production in general, and all of them were townspeople. Rachel hadn't gone up and spoken a word to Wes yet. She was too intimidated—according to Mercedes, he was already talking with casting agents in New York in an attempt to land a role on Broadway upon graduation. He was everything she aspired to be, but he terrified her. She had no idea how she was supposed to act opposite someone who ranked so much above her.

Wes, however, seemed to be impressed by her performance. He was watching her every movement on stage, a thoughtful expression on his face.

_Is this home?  
Am I here for a day or forever?  
Shut away, from the world until  
Who knows when?  
Oh but then  
As my life has been altered once it can change again!  
Build higher walls around me  
Change every lock and key  
Nothing lasts, nothing holds all of me_

Puck had snuck into the auditorium half way through Rachel's song. The only time he'd seen her perform before had been while he was wasted, and he couldn't recall much. All he knew about that night was that she was angry at him and had directed every song at him, telling him how much she hated his guts.

Here, however, she seemed to be in her element. Puck watched her face as she sang, the emotions of the song displayed prominently on her face. He thought she looked like she was crying, but that could have been a trick of the light. He took a seat in the back of the auditorium, resting his chin on the chair in front of him as he took all of Rachel in.

_My heart's far, far away  
Home, and free!_

Rachel relaxed her body as she finished the song, her fellow actors applauding her as she did so. She opened her eyes and looked around. She still saw a few faces of annoyance—mainly from senior girls who were still jealous of her winning the lead role—but she seemed to have won over most of everyone else.

Artie dismissed them after Rachel's song, reminding them they had rehearsal again the next day. Rachel hopped off the stage, walking over to grab her things. She was planning on heading back to her dorm for a quick moment before grabbing a dining hall dinner with Quinn.

"It's Rachel, right?" a voice asked. Rachel turned around as she picked up her bag, looking into the face of Wes. He was standing right beside her, a curious expression on his face. He bent down, picking up Rachel's tote bag and placed it over her shoulder.

Rachel nodded her head. "Yes, I'm Rachel," she said. "You're Wes," she stated. He confirmed it with a nod of his head. "Kind of weird we're officially meeting after a few days of rehearsal," she joked, adding an awkward laugh right after.

Wes, however, found it amusing. He chucked under his breath, scratching the back of his neck. "Does seem a bit funny it's taken me this long to meet my leading lady." He stuck his hand out and Rachel took it, shaking it a few times before releasing it. "I just thought we should finally meet, seeing as we're going to be spending quite a bit of time together over the next few months. You were flawless up there, by the way," he said, rolling his eyes as he caught a glimpse of a group of the girls running towards the back of the theater.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, turning her head slightly. The girls appeared to be running towards someone, but Rachel couldn't tell who it was from where she was standing. She doubted she would have known who it was anyways—she hardly knew anyone outside of her classes.

"Dumb jocks. They seem to attract girls like moths to light. Like I was saying, I just figured we should meet before we're forced onto the stage and have to pretend like we're in love in front of a large crowd."

Rachel laughed at his remark. "Very true," she agreed. "Well, it was lovely meeting you finally, but I should be going. I have a dining hall date with the roomie and the gay bestie. I'll see you tomorrow," she promised, turning to leave.

"Oh, and Rachel?" Wes asked. Rachel turned her head, looking back at him. "I don't care what any of the bitchy senior girls here say. You earned that part on pure talent." Rachel smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, Belle," he teased.

Rachel shook her head slightly at him, a smile still on her face. She gave him a small wave, heading towards the exit. That was when she saw Puck standing there, surrounded by a group of girls. He seemed to be attempting to extract himself from them, but they had surrounded him, refusing to let him leave. Rachel would never understand what it was about girls being obsessed with star athletes.

Rachel walked past him, rolling her eyes slightly. "Alright, Puckerman?" she joked, stopping just outside the circle, her bags slipping off her shoulder slightly. She readjusted them, backing up slightly as she caught the icy stare of Izzy.

"Nothing to see here, freshman. Just because you got the lead doesn't mean the whole school is obsessed with you. Run along home to your teddy bears," she sneered.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders once. "Suit yourself. See you around, Noah," she called, giving him a wave as she headed out of the theater.

"Rachel, wait!" she heard Puck call. There were whispers behind him coupled with a few girly whines. Puck's loud footsteps caught up with her until he was walking beside her. "Sorry about that," he apologized, holding the door open for her as he followed her outside.

"Nothing to apologize for. Must be one of the hazards of having the ability to throw a pigskin well," she joked.

"You have no idea."

"So, what can I do for the sexually active brother of my roommate on this fine Wednesday evening?" she asked, glancing up at him as they walked. Rachel couldn't help but feel slightly flattered that he'd been surrounded by a bunch of girls, yet he'd followed her out instead.

"Must you always bring up my bedroom activities every time I see you?" he laughed. "Keep running your mouth like that and I'm going to start thinking you want a taste of the Puckasaurus action yourself," he teased.

Rachel gave him a look. "Right, like I'm so eager to cash in my V-card," she joked. "Seriously, what are you doing here, stalker?"

"Thought I'd catch an early look at Belle in action. Is that a crime?" he asked.

"I don't know. Why don't we find out what Quinn thinks," she teased.

"She told me you'd be here. Suggested it in her own way, even," he said. Rachel's face conveyed a small bit of shock, but she shook it off, composing herself a moment later. "And now that you're all sung out for the day, it's the perfect time to eat some food."

"That was my thought as well."

"Great. Then you can join me for dinner. Finn's got a night class, so the kitchen is free."

"Oh, so this is all a ploy to get me in your apartment. Fat chance," she said.

"I expected that, so I've made other plans for us. Ones that don't involve you coming up to my apartment unless you're so inclined to do so."

"What kind of plans?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

"The secret kind. Come on, I'm trying here, Berry. You're killing me. I've hardly seen you since the beach and you did say you'd let me take you on a date. We don't even have to stay out that late. Just come, please?" he asked.

Rachel laughed a little. "How can I say no when you're giving me those puppy dog eyes and say please? Alright, alright. I'll go out with you for tonight, Monsieur Puckerman," she teased. "Lead the way," she said, taking his arm.

**Please review!**

**As usual, Rachel's outfit is on my polyvore account.**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone. Just a reminder that this is the last chapter for about two weeks while I go on a small hiatus. Everything will be updated in the beginning of May.**

**Enjoy! And please review!**

Mayday, mayday. Puck and Rachel's first official date was officially a disaster, and Puck had no idea how to fix it and make it better. It had started off well, but each moment things had gotten progressively worse and worse.

After picking Rachel up from rehearsal, Puck figured she was hungry from working all afternoon. Plus, after belting the song he walked on, she probably needed something to make sure her vocal cords didn't break. Or not. He really wasn't sure what people needed to make sure their voice didn't die. He really needed to start paying attention to his tutor if he planned on having a brain.

Rachel was rich, something Puck noticed the instant he met her. Puck, however, was not. He got _perks_ from football, but not money. People would give him discounts or free things, but no one ever handed him an envelope of cash. He figured that would happen if he was drafted into the NFL, though he doubted that would happen. He may have been a good quarterback, but there were plenty of other guys who were much better than him. Besides, he didn't really plan on playing football once he left school. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but getting hit in the head on a daily basis really didn't sound all that fun.

There were a few restaurants near campus that always gave him a free meal. Nine Thirty was one of them. It was his staple restaurant to take girls to, but it was a pretty nice place and the food was good. So what if he'd taken every other girl he'd gone out with there?

Puck led Rachel inside, his hand on the small of her back. She took in the ambiance of the place and smiled, nodding her head in approval. The lights were dimmed, giving the place a very romantic feel. Most tables had no more than two people at them, which was one of the main reasons Puck liked to take girls here. Puck knew Rachel deserved more than the standard date place, but he couldn't think of anywhere else to take her without at least a month of planning. It would have to do for their first date.

Puck recognized the host and gave him a nod of recognition. David had played on the football team Puck's freshman year, but he quit when he was unable to handle the pressure. Having lost his scholarship, he now worked two jobs to help him afford both his tuition and rent.

"How you doing, man?" David asked as Puck and Rachel approached him. He gave Rachel the once over, arching his eyebrow at Puck.

"Good, good. Football's kicking my ass, but what else is new?" he chuckled. He turned his face down to Rachel, smiling at her. "This is Rachel Berry, Quinn's roommate," he introduced. "David and I used to play ball together freshman year."

Rachel smiled warmly at the boy, taking his hand in hers and shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Rachel said.

David smiled at her, nodding his head. "Likewise." He turned his attention back to Puck. "I like. Much better than all the other bitches you brought here."

Puck groaned softly as Rachel's face went pale. He made a face at David, mouthing 'thanks a lot' to him. "So, this is where you work your magic?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Don't listen to David, he doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about," he said, shooting David a look over her shoulder at David that implied he was going to murder David next time he saw him. "I may have brought another girl or two here," he fibbed, not wanting her to know exactly how many girls he'd brought here. He saw David roll his eyes at Puck. "We can go somewhere else if you're uncomfortable being here," he added.

Rachel smiled and nodded her head. "Yes, can we?" she asked, taking his arm. "Besides, this place reminds me of somewhere my dads would take me for a normal night out. I'd rather go somewhere special on my first date," she laughed, tugging his arm as she pulled him out of the place. "Nice to meet you, David," she called, waving back at the boy as they exited the building.

Strike one.

Puck drove Rachel around for a little bit, attempting to find somewhere else for them to eat. Each place he picked (which he thought was somewhere Rachel would like) she rejected, claiming it wasn't the right place. The drive, however, did give Rachel a chance to tease Puck relentlessly.

"You should have seen your face when David said that was your go-to restaurant where you started manipulating your latest conquest into sleeping with you," she laughed, putting her feet up on his dashboard. "You get meals for free there, don't you?" she asked.

"How'd you know that?"

"Because I'm not the typical dumb bimbo you're used to going out with. Just like you pegged me as the little rich girl the moment you met me, I read you like a book as well. Working class parents with not enough money to send their kids to college. You're depending on football for your education, which is probably the main reason you still play it. Though, I'm sure having girls throw themselves at you like you're Brad Pitt is the other reason you've kept up with it through college. You're easily going to pay eleven bucks for a bowl of soup there, and I doubt you could afford that, especially at the rate you're used to going through girls."

"Are you done?" he asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Not in the least. You're much too easy to make fun of, Puckerman. I mean, your sexual habits give me enough material to last me months, though I imagine you didn't plan on me making fun of your our entire first date so I'll stop," she promised. "How about 'Who'd You Rather?' until you find us a suitable place to satiate our growling stomachs?" she suggested.

"One, you have once again brought up sex into our conversation. Keep it up and I'm going to have to assume you're teasing me as a way to get me into bed with you," he taunted, causing Rachel's face to grow bright red.

"In your dreams, pretty boy," she muttered, punching him in the arm gently as he drove on. "And none of this lame wimping out like you did when we played 'Marry, Fuck, Kill' in my room. You have to answer every ridiculous pairing I give you, no matter what."

The game lasted them a few rounds until Rachel spotted a Johnny Rockets and declared that was where she wanted to eat. Puck didn't understand it—she was from a family where she was used to eating at five-star restaurants, and she selected Johnny Rockets as the place to eat. Every time he spent time with Rachel, she found a way to surprise him and he loved it.

Puck pulled his car into the parking lot, finding a spot near the front. He grinned at Rachel, turning his car off. He shoved the key in his pocket before climbing out, opening her door for her. Rachel smiled up at him, taking his hand as he helped her out of the car. "This doesn't really seem like your kind of place," Puck commented as he led her up the stairs to the restaurant, opening the door for her.

"Why? Because I'm a spoiled rich girl who must love eating out at fancy restaurants where a glass of water is over one hundred dollars?" she questioned. "Just because that's the way I was raised doesn't mean that's what I like. I much prefer places like this. Plus Johnny Rockets has wicked good milkshakes. Why would I go anywhere else?" she teased.

The hostess led them to an empty booth, handing them each a menu before stating their waitress would be with them momentarily.

Rachel opened her menu before reaching over to the small jukebox at their table, flipping through the selections. "Hmm, are we in a Beach Boys mood or a Chuck Berry mood?" she asked before grinning. "Wait, what am I saying? We clearly have to go with the Berry," she laughed, pressing the button. 'Go Go Go (Johnny B. Goode)' started playing and Rachel bobbed her head to the music. "Ah, a perfect date environment, wouldn't you agree?" she asked.

Puck made a face. This hadn't been when he imagined when he'd planned out the date with Rachel, but it wasn't dreadful either.

Of course, he changed his mind as the waitress walked over to their table, a small pad clutched in her hand. "Hello, _Puck_," she said, her voice dripping with venom.

Puck looked up and felt his body fill with dread. Kitty, his ex-girlfriend. Of course she had to work at the one place Rachel wanted to eat at. "Hi Kitty," he mumbled. Rachel, who was currently deciding what flavor milkshake she wanted, seemed to be oblivious to the entire thing. "Didn't know you worked hear."

"Well, since you never seemed to hear anything I ever said, that doesn't surprise me much," she snapped, though she somehow managed to keep her voice even enough that Rachel didn't detect the tension going on between Puck and their waitress.

Rachel finally looked up, a genuine smile on her face. "Hi," she greeted. Kitty's face tightened, obviously not thrilled about being forced to serve her ex-boyfriends new paramour. "Can I get a Oreo's and cream shake?" she asked.

"Of course. Coming right up." She walked away from the table without another word, completely ignoring Puck's attempts to order something to drink.

"Isn't this fun?" Rachel giggled, practically bouncing in her seat. "I love fifties and sixties stuff. It's so much fun! I feel like we should be going to a drive-in movie after this," she laughed.

Puck remembered Kurt mentioning something about Rachel loving the movie _Grease_ and everything from it. He supposed it did make sense that she would adore a place like this. He was mentally kicking himself for not following every last piece of Kurt's advice. He should have taken her here in the first place, but Puck wasn't one who thought well on his feet.

"You've been here before?" Puck asked her.

"Well, not to this specific one, but we have one in Lima. Kurt and I go all the time," she explained. "And we always get the same thing. I guess it's kind of like a tradition for us. It does feel a little weird being here without him," she laughed.

Kitty walked back over with Rachel's shake, standing at the edge of their table. Puck should have seen it coming, but he was too caught up in Rachel to realize what was happening before it was too late. Kitty 'accidentally' dropped the milkshake, the entire thing spilling onto Rachel, covering her in the cold, thick liquid.

"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry," she gushed, making no effort to help Rachel clean up the spilled milkshake. "How clumsy of me." Puck, of course, saw right through her fake apology. "I'll go grab another," she said, casting a smirk at Rachel as she turned.

Rachel sighed a little, using the small napkins at the table to try and wipe the beverage off her skirt and top. "Well, I guess these clothes are ruined," she sighed before shrugging her shoulders. "Oh well, nothing I can do about it now."

Puck laughed a little. "You just had an entire milkshake dumped on your clothes which are probably more expensive than my car, and you just shrug it off like it's no big deal. Every other girl I know would be in tears at this point."

"I thought we already established I'm not like other girls. I'm Belle, and Belle doesn't cry over a spilled milkshake. She wears it like a badge of honor to show she doesn't need no stinkin' clean clothes to land the quarterback," she laughed.

The Belle comparisons lasted them through dinner. Rachel and Puck both ordered a basic hamburger, and Puck was delighted to see Rachel bite into it like a bro instead of worrying about how she looked eating. And, since she already had her clothes covered in melted milkshake, she didn't worry about keeping clean. The end result was Rachel's white shirt covered in ketchup as well, which only caused Puck to laugh. "We should frame your shirt and try to pass it off as modern art," he joked.

Rachel looked down at herself, covering her mouth as she laughed as well. "You think? I could be the next Jackson Pollack, though instead of paint I use food as my inspiration," she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

Kitty brought over their check, tossing it on the table without another word. Rachel looked up at her, frowning slightly. "What's her problem?" Rachel asked Puck. "She's not the one wearing a milkshake on her skirt."

Kitty heard her and spun around, her mouth pulled into a nasty smirk. "_My_ problem? Why don't you ask your _date_ what my problem is? Specifically, what my problem is with _you_!"

"Me?" Rachel asked. "But I don't even know you. How can you have a problem with me if—"

"He was mine first!" Kitty snapped. "You're just some dumb little slut he's going to use and throw away like all the others. You don't deserve him. I bet you've only fucked one guy in your life, so you think that makes you worthy of getting to go out with the quarterback. News flash, it doesn't. Walk away now while you're ahead. Puck deserves someone special like me, not some average girl like you."

"Kitty, enough," Puck snapped, stepping out of the booth and standing in front of Rachel, blocking her from Kitty's view. "I told you last year that things were over. You're too clingy and obsessed with me. I can choose to go out with whomever I want and dumping food on them isn't going to change my mind. Your problem is with me. Leave Rachel out of it."

Kitty let out an exasperated sigh. "You're just saying that so I don't mess your pretty little girlfriend's face up."

"Please, we both know you won't do anything that'll risk you losing your job. Just let me pay and we'll be out of here," he promised. Puck slipped some cash into the folder, making sure to give her a decent tip before handing it to Kitty. He put an arm around Rachel, leading her out of the restaurant and to the parking lot.

Strike two.

Once they were outside, Puck turned to Rachel. "Look, about that—"

Rachel held up a hand, cutting him off. "Jealous ex-girlfriend taking it out on the former boyfriend's new love interest. No need to explain. I do, however, need a new change of clothes before we do anything else. As comfortable as I was in there with my milkshake and ketchup artwork, I don't see the appeal of going out in public looking like I spent three days in the wilderness fighting for survival. That's okay, right?" she asked.

"Of course," Puck said, digging in his pocket for his keys. Of course, this was the one time they happened to be missing. "Hey, you didn't see my keys inside, did you?" he asked, turning to face her once more.

Rachel shook her head. "No, you put them in your pocket. I saw you do it after you locked the car. Aren't they there?" she asked, her purse resting in the crook of her elbow as she watched him first dig through his left pocket then his right. "Try your shirt pockets," she suggested.

Puck checked them as well, but still couldn't find his keys. "I didn't give them to you, did I?" he asked. Rachel opened her bag, digging through it with no keys in there. She shook her head. Puck sighed, pacing back and forth for a moment. Rachel took a seat on the steps in front of the restaurant, watching him. "Stay here, I'm going to head inside and see if I left them there."

Rachel nodded her head, watching him disappear inside. She stared at the car, thinking over how this was probably one of the worst dates she'd ever been on. The only one that seemed to top this was the one where Jesse was supposed to take her to the movies but she found him sticking his tongue down some other girl's throat instead.

Puck was gone for over half an hour, but by the time he came back, it had started raining. Rachel was sitting in the rain, using her sweater to cover her head. Regardless, she was still soaked. She was shivering, covered in food, and miserable.

"I…uh, I found my keys," he said, attempting to crack a smile.

Rachel stood up, dripping water. "Can you please just take me home?" she asked in a small voice, on the verge of tears.

Strike three, you're out.

"Yeah, okay," Puck said, his voice miserable. This was supposed to be the best date ever that would convince Rachel he was worth spending time with, but all he was convinced it had done was show her how he was someone to avoid, that he was a fuck up who couldn't even plan a successful date.

They drove to her dorm in silence, Puck not even knowing how to begin to apologize for what he'd just subjected her to. He'd never had a date go horribly before, so of course it would happen when he was taking out a girl he actually wanted to make a good impression on. He was positive she was counting down the moments until she was out of his car and away from him. Not that he blamed her.

Puck pulled up in front of her dorm, putting his car in park. "Um," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "D'you want me to walk you in?" he asked.

Rachel shook her head. "That's okay, I can find the way myself." She reached for the door of his car before he took her hand. "Noah?" she asked.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized. "I don't know how things went so wrong tonight, but they did. It wasn't my intention to put you through three hours of torture like I did. It was supposed to be a fun date. We were going to go to this great little karaoke bar after dinner and have fun, but obviously none of that happened because we had to go to the one fucking place my psych ex-girlfriend works at."

"Hey, don't worry about it," she said with a shrug. "It's not your fault she attacked me with a milkshake. Besides, you wanted to take me somewhere else and I was the one who said no. Plus, it's not like you commanded the sky to rain, even if you did want to get a sneak peak at what bra I was wearing today," she joked.

"Tan lace with little bows on the straps," he teased. "As it's the only one I've gotten a glimpse at so far, it's my favorite," he laughed.

Rachel reached over, hitting him in the shoulder gently. "Don't be a pervert or I'll change my mind about going out with you again after the disaster date."

"Who said I want to go out with you again?" he challenged.

Rachel looked a little taken aback. "Don't you?" she asked.

Puck let out a loud chuckle. "That was worth it just to see your face. Of course I do you silly girl. I was getting ready for you to walk out on me as soon as Kitty dumped that milkshake on you, yet you stayed and endured all of the shit she put you through. Why wouldn't I keep you around after that?"

Rachel smiled, her hands resting in her lap as she listened to Puck speak. "Well, I expected you to get super frustrated, which I'm sure you really did. But you didn't let it show. You remained calm, cool, and collected most of the time, and I think if we managed to get through a miserable date like this one after getting past that first miserable night, we can get through anything."

Rachel bit her lower lip, seemingly thinking something over in her head before leaning forward, pressing her lips against his for the second time since meeting him. Puck was shocked, but instead of freezing, his placed his hand at the back of her neck, closing his eyes and kissing her back. He held her close but loosely, allowing her to pull back as soon as she wanted to.

Rachel kept the kiss very simple. There was no tongue, not groping. It was a just a kiss. A very long kiss, but a kiss nonetheless. She pulled away, her eyes still shut with a huge smile on her face.

"I suppose this is the part where I ask you in the corniest way possible to be my girlfriend," Puck said, chuckling softly. "That is, if you're still willing to after being bathed in a milkshake and forced to sit in the rain."

Rachel rolled her eyes at him. "I thought you would have figured out my answer from the kiss," she teased, placing her hand on top of his.

"So, that's a yes then?" he asked, making sure.

"Of course it's a yes you big dummy," she teased, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "It's a fuck yes," she promised. She glanced at the clock on his radio, making a face. "I should probably head in before Quinn sends out a search party. She may be trying to be our number one cheerleader, but old habits die hard. I wonder what she's going to say when I tell her I'm officially the quarterback's main bitch," she joked.

"She'll probably order you to the health center so they can screen you for every disease known to man," he laughed, leaning in and giving her one last kiss. "So I'll see you tomorrow then?" he asked.

"We're all going to O'Hara's tomorrow night since Will and Cooper are performing with some new bad they formed or whatever and Kurt wants to stalk the hell out of Blaine. You should come. It can be our coming out to the only people that really matter to me," she suggested.

"O'Hara's?" he asked. "You really want to go back there with me?" he asked.

"I guess it doesn't hold the best memories for us, but that's why we should go and give the place better memories. I'm going anyways because I promised Will I would and Kurt would never forgive me if I wasn't the Scooby to his Shaggy while he's attempting to spend all night flirting up a storm with Blaine."

Puck laughed a little, nodding his head. "Alright, alright. I'll pick you up from rehearsal like I did today."

"Yeah, thanks for that. As if the senior girls didn't hate me enough already, now they double hate me for landing the hottie football player. I'm never going to make friends now," she teased, pretending to be mad, though she wasn't very convincing with the smile on her face.

"Oh whatever. Get out of here before my sister calls the hounds and gives them your hairbrush to try and find you. I'll see you tomorrow." Puck watched her climb out of the car, giving her a wave before driving off.

Rachel smiled after him, waving slightly as he drove out of the parking lot. She lifted her bag onto her shoulder, turning and heading towards the front door of her building, rummaging around in her bag for her ID and key.

"You know, you always struck me as the kind of girl who went for intellectuals, not stupid jocks who can throw a football well." There was a small rustle as a tall guy with a curly mess of hair appeared on the walkway in front of Rachel, his left hand on his hip. He had the same condescending smirk on his face that she remembered. She'd have recognized him anywhere. "Hey Rach, it's good to see you."

"Jesse," she gasped as she stared at him, frozen in place.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: I'm baaaaaaaaack. So this is a flashback chapter from high school focusing on the relationship between Rachel and Kurt and Rachel and Jesse. Next chapter will start right where Chapter 18 left off. Enjoy! And please remember to review!**

_Lima, Ohio (Sophomore Year)_

Kurt stepped out of geometry, feeling slightly less stressed with the exam out of the way. He'd been worrying about Mr. Wagner's test for the past few weeks, and now that it was finally over, he felt much more relaxed. He was even feeling pretty confident, positive he'd gotten at least a B on it.

Kurt slung his bag over his shoulder, looking down the crowded halls of William McKinley High School. The final bell had rung, so kids were at their lockers, packing things up before either catching their bus or driving home themselves. Kurt had grown accustomed to having Rachel drive him to and from school since she'd gotten her license, though he'd been taking the bus the past few months.

He spotted the familiar back of Rachel's head at her locker, watching her as she grabbed a few books out, carefully placing them in her bag. Kurt had hardly spoken to Rachel since their 'break up'. Well, it was more of him coming out to her and his dad at the same time. He'd been dating Rachel since freshman year and thought he could keep the charade up longer, not admit to himself that he really liked guys.

It proved to be too much for the teenager to handle. He had to come clean to Rachel. Every time he looked at her, he felt bad. He knew he was lying to her, leading her on. He had to stop it before she did something drastic like attempting to lose her virginity to him.

Kurt had thought he'd been doing a great job of hiding who he really was from the people who knew him best. He'd perfected playing straight, his relationship with Rachel killing any doubts people may have had about his sexuality.

It wasn't that he didn't love Rachel or care for her. Hell, it wasn't even that he wasn't attracted to her—he had always found her beautiful even if she did happen to be fashionably challenged. She had never been the problem. Kurt just preferred his mates with less boobs and more facial hair.

In another life, Kurt would have dated Rachel through college before proposing to her their senior year and marrying her after that. Of course, he knew that would never happen. He couldn't lie to her anymore.

The thing that stunned him was when his dad and Rachel had nodded their heads when he told them he was Kurt Hummel, homosexual. It was as though they'd known all along.

"Kurt, I've known since you were three an wanted a Barbie doll instead of a G.I. Joe," his dad had said with a laugh.

Rachel had nodded in agreement. "It's not like I didn't notice you checking out Cory's ass in the hall every day on our way to English or Mike's ass on our way from gym. Plus, when your boyfriend has a better fashion sense than you do, there's something wrong," she had said, smiling at him.

"So, you both knew this whole time?" he had asked, an incredulous look on his face.

"Well, I realized it not long after we first kissed. You just weren't into it. I mean, I love you, so I went along with it. I knew when you were ready to come out, you'd tell me. And I was right."

Even though Rachel had known he was gay, she seemed to take it personally that he chose to tell her and his dad at the same time instead of taking her aside individually and telling her. She also was mortified about what people would say when they found out she'd knowingly dated someone who was gay. She was already an outcast in the school—this would only make things worse.

Kurt wasn't ready to come out to everyone yet, so that ended up being a non-issue. Rachel, however, was still feeling betrayed over the act that Kurt had kept something so important from her. They had been best friends for a long time, and she was insulted he didn't trust her enough to tell her the truth a long time ago.

It was the first real fight they'd ever had. Kurt didn't realize how much he needed her in his life until she was gone. Sure, they saw each other in class and made small talk now and again, but it wasn't the same as before. Rachel was the person he did everything with, even before they were a couple. It was strange not having her at his house every day after school or being over her house every weekend.

Kurt also knew he had to be the bigger person—Rachel was not the kind of person who begged others for their forgiveness.

Rachel was dressed in her typical school outfit—a plaid skirt, a white sweater, stockings, and black Maryjane's. He had never understood how someone who was so rich had such a bad fashion sense. She had more money than anyone ever needed, yet she insisted on dressing like a preschooler while carrying around a two thousand dollar backpack. Rachel was smart, but even Kurt hadn't been able to teach her the basic points of fashion.

Rachel had her normally straight hair curled into ringlets today, held back with a black bow. Well, it was now or never Kurt walked up to her as she was putting her math book into her Louis Vuitton backpack, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned against the locker next to hers. "Hey."

Rachel looked up at the sound of his voice, seeming to freeze momentarily before regaining her composure and continuing to pack up her things from school. "Oh. Hi." She didn't sound very enthusiastic about seeing him.

"Look, I know you're still pissed or insulted or whatever it is you were feeling after I finally grew a pair and told you the truth that you apparently knew for months."

"I'm not mad or whatever," she said, zipping her bag closed before standing up straight, fixing her skirt as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "I just thought we were best friends and you could tell me anything. Apparently you don't feel the same way."

She shut her locker and turned to try and go past him. Kurt put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracts. "That's bullshit and you know it. You've been my best friend as long as I can remember, but how was I supposed to tell you something when I didn't even want to admit it to myself? You were the first person I told. Hell, I told you at the same time as my dad. Doesn't that count for anything?"

Rachel smiled slightly up at him before sighing. "I don't know Kurt. It just feels like there's this _thing_ between us. I want things to go back to the way they were, but I don't know if they can."

"Of course they can. You're my best friend in the whole wide world and I love you. Gay, straight, that'll never change. I miss you, Rachel. Things haven't been right without you in my life, as much as it pains me to admit it."

Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder. "They haven't been right for me either. And, I'd rather have you in my life and have things be awkward for a bit than not talk to you ever again. You're my bff. Nothing's going to change that." She gave him a big hug, closing her eyes as she did so. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home."

Kurt followed Rachel out to her car, climbing into the passenger's seat while she put her bag in the trunk before climbing into the front, starting the car as she buckled her seatbelt. Rachel pulled out of the parking lot, driving away from the school and towards Kurt's house.

Rachel and Kurt were from two very different lives. Kurt's dad was a mechanic and owned his own car shop. He wasn't wealthy, but the Hummel's lived a comfortable middle-class life. They owned their own house, but Kurt still had to have a part-time job to afford the clothes he liked to wear or to do things on the weekend with friends. His mother had died from breast cancer when he was eight years old, so it had been just him and his dad ever since.

Rachel, on the other hand, had grown up enjoying the upper class life. Her dads were both professionals who, in addition to earning seven-figure salaries, were also from wealthy families. Hiram's parents had passed away when he was in college, and as their only child, he'd inherited everything. Leroy was also an only child, so when his parents passed, he would inherit their entire estate. Without any siblings, Rachel was used to getting whatever she wanted from her dads.

Rachel had a large bank account at her disposal and had never minded paying for Kurt when they did things together. She didn't see how it was fair that Kurt had to work at the movie theater just so they could do things together while she had never held a job in her life and could afford anything she wanted.

Rachel pulled into the driveway of the Hummel's house, putting her car in park. She turned the ignition off, silence filling the car. The only sounds that could be heard were their breathing and the low tones from the radio which hadn't turned off yet.

"Thanks," Kurt finally mumbled, looking out the window awkwardly.

"Do you think things are ever going to go back to the way they were before all this mess happened?" Rachel finally asked, turning her face to look at Kurt.

He sighed before nodding his head. "Of course it will. You're Rachel Berry and I'm Kurt Hummel. Things aren't right in the world if we're not best friends. We'll get past this. Besides, we're going to have to if we're supposed to play Sarah Brown and Sky Masterson in a few weeks," he said with a small laugh. The two had been cast as one of the lead couples in _Guys and Dolls_, which had made rehearsals a bit awkward during their scenes together.

Rachel smiled and nodded her head. "You're right. We have to fix everything, at least for the sake of the show," she said, leaning over and giving him a hug "I'm glad you're back, Kurt. I really did miss you."

"Same here, doll. Oh, and Burt wants you and your dads to come over for dinner this weekend," he said, his hand resting on the car door. "I told him I was going to try and patch shit up with you today, so he said you all should come over for a wonderfully home cooked meal this Saturday. I think he just wants you all to meet our new dog. Plus, he misses you."

Rachel let out a snort. "Please. Burt doesn't like me. He probably thinks you're gay because I'm not pretty enough. If I had been more like cheerleader captain Lindsey, there's _no_ way you would have been gay."

"Would you shut up? He doesn't think that and you know it. He thinks you've been a great friend to me which is why he wants the entire Berry family coming over. Though you're helping me cook because he never likes anything I make."

Rachel let out a small laugh. "Oh, so the real reason you made up with me was to enlist my help with cooking," she joked. "Alright, alright. Daddy L gets back from Miami on Friday and Daddy H cleared his schedule for the weekend. I'll let them both know we've been invited to dinner. I'll pick you up Saturday morning and we'll go shopping for a yummy, yummy dinner, sound good?"

"Sounds perfect, diva. Are you going to make me endure the bus again or are we back in our old routine?"

"I'll come get you tomorrow morning. Just don't be late or I'm leaving your ass here," she said, kissing his cheek as she watched him climb out of her car. Kurt gave her a wave before heading inside his house.

"I thought he'd never leave," a voice said. There was a sound of movement as Jesse St. James climbed off the floor of Rachel's back seat, climbing over the divider and into the passenger's seat.

Rachel let out a small shriek as he emerged before covering her mouth. "Jesse," she hissed as he took a seat, buckling the seatbelt across his body. "What are you doing here? Were you hiding in my car the whole time?"

"Hello to you too," he greeted, leaning over and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm glad to see you, I love you. Those would all be appropriate ways to greet your boyfriend instead of screaming bloody murder. Better be quiet before your bestie comes out here and sees you making out with the lead of Vocal Adrenaline," he teased.

Rachel rolled her eyes, turning the car back on and pulled out of Kurt's driveway, heading towards her house. "Why were you hiding in my car like a stalker instead of texting me and asking to meet up after school?" she asked as she drove, a smile on her face the whole time. It was a bit romantic that Jesse had hid in her car for who knew how long just to see her.

"Because I wanted to do something spontaneous. I was just going to wait by your car, but I saw Kurt with you and knew he'd murder me on the spot, so I panicked and jumped in the back of your car. You really need to remember to lock it, babe. Anyone could break in and steal your shit or whatever."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I'll keep that in mind, Dad," she teased, leaning over to kiss him at a red light.

"So you and the queer made up, then? Does that mean I'm getting the boot?"

Rachel gave him a look. "You know I hate when you call him that. And no, I'm not all of a sudden kicking you out of my life because Kurt and I made up. I do happen to love you, Jesse."

"Good. Besides, it's not as though you could find another boyfriend if you broke up with me. You're not exactly pretty enough to attract the guys at McKinley. Or the guys at Carmel for that matter."

"That's an awful thing to say," Rachel said with a frown. "You know how I feel when you say things like that."

"So? It's not like you're going to do anything about it. Face it, Rachel. You're never going to do any better than me, so you'll take everything I say without doing anything about it. You're a weak person with no talent. I'm stunned they haven't replaced you in _Guys and Dolls_ yet. Though I guess it doesn't surprise me—everyone knows WMHS has no talent. You're probably the best they could find."

Rachel pulled into the driveway of her house, her shoulders sinking in defeat. "Will says—"

"You act like I give a shit about what that Lima loser Will Schuester has to say about anything. He probably just says you're halfway decent because he's a pedophile and wants in your ugly ass skirts. I mean, come on, Rachel. Why don't you wear something that makes you look like a high-schooler instead of a six-year-old? It's bad enough that you have a giant nose and unfortunate face, but dressing the way you do makes me even more embarrassed to be seen in public with you."

Rachel felt herself deflating more and more while Jesse seemed to be gaining strength. Every time they spent time together lately, he seemed to only enjoy tearing her down, making her feel awful about herself. He never seemed to have any compliments for her anymore, a stark contrast to the first two months they were together.

"Are you done?" she asked, a hint of crossness in her voice. "I have homework and things to do. I can't just sit here all night and listen to you insult everything about me."

"What, you're not going to let me come in? You're going to make me walk home from here? God, you're the world's worst girlfriend. Maybe I should dump you right now and start seeing someone who's actually worthy of me."

"No!" Rachel said quickly, placing a hand on his arm. "Please don't do that, Jesse. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice with you. Of course I'll let you come in. My dads aren't home right now, so I have the house to myself for at least a few more hours. Why don't you come in? I'll make you something to eat and we can watch a movie or work on homework together?" she suggested, attempting to placate him.

Jesse seemed to think it over, loving torturing Rachel like this. Of course he had no intention of leaving her. Rachel really was quite pretty. Plus, she took all the awful things he said to her like a dog and rarely spoke back to him about it. She was completely obedient and he loved it. Maybe he could get her to let him feel her up later if he was extra degrading.

She was such a fucking prude, he didn't understand it. She'd been up front with him about her V status, yet she made no efforts to pop her cherry. Every time his hand left her waist while they were making out she freaked out at him and made him leave. It was so frustrating. Rachel had a banging body and he had a sneaking suspicion she was a freak in the sack.

Of course, that was what Annie was for. She was a junior at Carmel High who he fucked in the back seat of his car every day during his study hall. She was a total bore to talk to, but she was willing to put out and a decent lay. He wasn't going to turn his nose up at free tail when it was right there in front of him. He'd have to be a fucking flamer to say no to someone as hot as Annie. Plus, Rachel wasn't even letting him get a peek at her bra. Who could blame him for going elsewhere to satisfy his needs?

"Alright, but only because you look so pitiful with those eyes. And you better not fuck up my food or I'm leaving in your car and you'll have to get your dads to come pick it up from my house. I'm sure you'd love explaining to them why some kid from Carmel High has your precious BMW."

"I won't mess it up, I promise," she said, her voice low. Rachel had her eyes on her lap, her hands clasped together.

"Hey, I believe in you. Cooking seems to be the one thing you can do right. Maybe that's your role in life. You'd probably make a halfway decent wife, assuming you're not a total bore in the sack like you are in life." He leaned over, kissing her once before climbing out of the car. "Let's go babe." He started walking towards her house, his bag slung over his shoulder. He looked back at Rachel, who was still seated in the car. "Don't make me ask twice, babe. Let's go. I'm starved."

Rachel nodded her head, climbing out of the car. She grabbed her bag from the trunk before locking the car, jogging to catch up with Jesse as the two of them headed towards the house. She hated the way he treated her, but she couldn't help but love him. Besides, he was right. She'd never do better than him. She wasn't pretty or talented enough for someone like the football quarterback to fall in love with.

**There will only be one update this week so expect the next chapter to be posted next Saturday. Sorry in advance!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! So this picks up exactly where chapter 18 left off. And yes, we will be finding out **_**exactly**_** why Jesse is back soon, but not quite yet. Enjoy and please review!**

"You know, you always struck me as the kind of girl who went for intellectuals, not stupid jocks who can throw a football well." There was a small rustle as a tall guy with a curly mess of hair appeared on the walkway in front of Rachel, his left hand on his hip. He had the same condescending smirk on his face that she remembered. She'd have recognized him anywhere. "Hey Rach, it's good to see you."

"Jesse," she gasped as she stared at him, frozen in place. She _knew_ she had seen him at Pacific Park, though she had figured that would be the last she'd ever see of him. The last place she expected to see Jesse St. James was on the sidewalk outside her dorm building, looking at her like they were old friends. "I—what are you doing here?" she finally said when she found her voice.

"No hello? No how are you? I'm insulted," he said, pouting at her playfully. "I think I at least deserve a 'it's good to see you, Jesse' with our history."

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, glancing past him at the door to her building. All she wanted right now was to climb into the shower and rinse the milkshake off her before discussing her date with Quinn and Kurt—and Sam too, she supposed. Though that seemed impossible when her ex-boyfriend was standing on the sidewalk, blocking her escape route. "What are you doing here?" she asked again, her voice much colder than it had been before.

"Standing," he answered, the same smug grin she remembered planted firmly on his face. "It's a free country. I can stand wherever the hell I want to."

"Not when you're standing on the sidewalk outside my dorm in California. What are you even doing in Los Angeles? I thought you were supposed to be a Julliard in New York?" she asked.

The entire time the two of them had been together, Jesse had talked incessantly about Julliard. He was going to go there and get his big break his senior year landing a starring role on Broadway. They'd ended things before she ever found out if he even got into the school.

"Those are old dreams, Rach. California is the place to be, as I see you figured out," he said, nodding in her direction. Rachel chose not to respond, trying to keep the conversation between them at a minimum. "So, you and the quarterback, huh? He's got quite the track record, you know."

Rachel let out a harsh laugh. "That's rich coming from the boy who used to skank it up with theater groupies on his lunch break. I'll repeat my question one last time, St. James: _what are you doing here_?"

"Watch your tone. There's no need to raise your voice at me when I'm trying to have a friendly conversation with you. As I already told you, I'm walking. I wasn't aware that was a crime."

"No, you said you were standing."

"Walking, standing—what's the difference? Either way, I don't see how it's of any matter to you what I'm doing here. I'm not doing anything to you."

"You're blocking my way back into my dorm."

"You're free to walk around me. The sidewalk's big enough for the two of us, you know."

"Right, so you can follow me inside and see what room I live in? Fat chance."

Jesse threw his head back and let out a laugh. "You're acting like I'm some kind of stalker. I don't see what the big deal is about me being on front of a dorm building at my school."

"You're what?"

"I go here, Rachel. What, you think you and the queer are the only Ohio natives to travel to the great state of California for school? I beat you two by a few years."

"Still doesn't explain what you're doing in front of _my_ dorm building. This is a freshman building, Jesse. You're a junior."

"I came to see you."

"Me? How'd you even know I went to school here?"

"Freshman lead of the musical. Girl named Rachel with a killer set of pipes from Ohio. I put two and two together. Plus, I saw you walking around campus the other day with your Ohio bestie and saw you guys walk over her. I figured I'd wait here until I caught you alone so we could chat."

"I have nothing to say to you, Jesse St. James. I said everything the last time we spoke. You know, when you had your tongue down Julia's throat. Or was it Mary's tongue I caught you playing hockey with?" she asked sarcastically.

"I didn't come here to argue with you about me being a royal asshole to you the months we dated."

"Then why did you come here? I thought I made it very clear that day in the parking lot that you were dead to me and I never wanted to see you again."

"Oh, you did, complete with the kick to the balls. I was sitting at home for three days with an ice pack to the crotch afterwards in case you were wondering." That caused Rachel to smile triumphantly for a moment. "But I thought you'd want to know who's teaching Belle all her choreography this year."

"No."

"Yes," he said with a grin. "So you might want to warn the gay bestie he'll have to get used to having the Carmel asshole around."

"Just because I have to spend any amount of time with you for the show doesn't mean I'm letting you around me outside of the theater, even if you do happen to know where I live. Kurt's not doing the show—you'll never have a chance to see him."

"I suppose it's for the best. I don't know if I really want him murdering me for breaking dear, sweet Rachel Berry's heart." Rachel shifted uncomfortably at that, her face flushing. Jesse's face broke into a grin as he let out a laugh. "Oh don't tell me, you never told him the truth about us? I thought the two of you told each other _everything_. I mean, I know you never told him about us while we dated, but I at least expected you to tell him afterwards so you could bitch and moan about what a douche I was to you."

Rachel stayed silent, her arms remaining across her chest. She wasn't sure what to say to that. Jesse had read her like a book, and all she kept thinking was he was going to find Kurt and tell him every sordid detail about their five months together.

Thankfully, she was saved by the appearance of one Quinn Fabray. The door to the building opened and the petite blonde walked out, dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a UCLA tee shirt wither her hair pulled back and a pair of flip flops on her feet. "There you are," she said, catching sight of Rachel. "Puck texted me almost half an hour ago saying he'd dropped you off. I was wondering where you were."

"Trying to find my ID and keys," Rachel said with an uncomfortable laugh. She walked over to Quinn and took her arm, attempting to pull her back towards the building and as far away from Jesse as possible. He glanced at Quinn for a moment before turning his attention back to the retreating Rachel.

"So I'll see you around then, yeah?" he called out to her. Without bothering to turn back and face him, Rachel reached a hand back and flipped him off, quickly swiping her ID to gain access to the building, shutting the door before Jesse had a chance to follow them inside.

"Who was that?" Quinn asked once they were on the elevator heading back to their room. "And why do you smell chocolaty and delicious? And what happened with my brother? And _why_ is your makeup all smeared?" Quinn asked, not giving Rachel a chance to answer a single one of her questions before moving onto the next one.

"One at a time, Quinnie. You're not even giving me a chance to think before asking me another question," she laughed. She pushed the door to their dorm open, pulling off her shirt once the door was closed and they were alone.

Rachel headed over to their dresser, pulling out a T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, sheading the rest of her clothes before pulling her pajamas on. She really wanted to shower, but she was pretty sure it would have to wait until tomorrow with everything Quinn wanted to know.

"Okay, spill. Who was that delicious yet asshole-looking piece of man you were chatting with on the sidewalk outside our building?" she asked, falling back onto her bed as Rachel pulled her dark hair up into a bun on the top of her head.

"Jesse St. James. I—I knew him in Ohio."

"Another Ohio transplant? What, did all of you decide to relocate to the great state of California at once?" she laughed. "And what was with the tense look you were giving him? You two looked as though you had some history."

Rachel let out a sigh. "Okay, what I'm about to tell you does not leave this room unless I tell you it's okay to talk about it. Understand?" she asked. Quinn nodded her head, looking at Rachel curiously. "Jesse's my ex-boyfriend."

Quinn clapped her hands over her mouth, stifling the gasp that left her lips. "He's _what_? I thought you'd never had a real boyfriend?"

"Well, I lied. Not because I'm ashamed or something, but if I mentioned that, Kurt would never talk to me again. He doesn't know about Jesse. I hid it from him when I dated Jesse and lied when he saw us together and told him that he had just asked me out."

"Wait, I don't understand. Why'd you lie to Kurt? I thought he was your bff who you told everything to."

"He is. I mean, I've told Kurt things my dads don't even know, but he would have never understood what I had with Jesse. All he would have seen was Jesse as the lead of our rival show choir and seen it as a betrayal and said he was using me. Well, I suppose he was in the end, but he would have been the least supportive person which is why I never told him. And now it's too late to tell him because he'll be furious at me for lying, though I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep this a secret when Jesse's doing the choreography for the show!"

"Wait, he's what?" Quinn asked, not quite understanding Rachel when she talked about theater stuff.

"Jesse's teaching me the dances for the show because he wants to screw up my life and make sure I'm never happy. He knows me better than most people and I'm worried he's going to try and get inside my head like he used to."

"What happened between the two of you?" Quinn asked. "It doesn't sound like this was some normal breakup."

"Jesse used to get inside my head. He knew what I was insecure about and used it to make me feel bad about myself. He used to tell me how I wasn't pretty or talented or could never get a boyfriend while simultaneously banging all the girls in his show choir behind my back. I don't know why I didn't see him for the tool he was when we first met. I put up with his shit for five month before I caught him with a girl in his car and ended things, but the damage was done. That's why it hurt so much when I saw your brother with Marley at the bar. It was like Jesse all over again. After I ended things with Jesse, I swore I'd never let another guy get that close to me. And I didn't—until your brother, of course. I just—I don't know what to do about this now."

My advice is you should be honest with everyone—my brother, Kurt, your dads. Just tell them the truth. They'll understand. Well, at least Puck will—he's really into you. Like, I've never seen him fall so hard or so fast for someone. Just tell him the truth because if you don't, he'll find out some other way and things won't turn out good. But enough about some asshole you used to date—what happened with you and my brother tonight?"

Rachel and Quinn ended up staying awake until around two in the morning, going over every little thing that happened on the date between Rachel and Puck. Around midnight, Rachel climbed into bed with Quinn and the two girls stared at the ceiling as they continued talking.

_So this is what having a girl best friend is like_, Rachel thought to herself after Quinn had fallen asleep next to her, Rachel succumbing to sleep not long after.

The next morning, Rachel woke up early for her first class. Quinn was still asleep in bed, so Rachel moved around the room quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible. She ended up leaving their dorm in the clothes she slept in, her skin still smelling like the milkshake that had been spilled on her from the night before.

Rachel didn't see much of Quinn all day. Thursdays were her busy day, so she figured the next time she'd be back in her dorm was after rehearsals before she headed to the bar to see Will and Cooper's debut in their new band.

Rachel had never dreaded a rehearsal before, but with the knowledge that Jesse St. James was going to be there, she was wishing she was doing anything else besides rehearsing for _Beauty and the Beast_. Had she had a minor role, she would have just skipped rehearsal. Of course, she was the lead and actually had to be there.

When Rachel walked into the theater (the place that was quickly becoming her home), she found the place mostly filled. The group of senior girls who were quickly becoming her enemies were giving her death glares—most likely because she had diverted the star football player's attention from them yesterday. Mercedes was seated with Shane and Wes. She had seemingly pulled herself away from the group of girls she'd been sitting with during auditions.

Mercedes caught sight of Rachel and waved her over, a smile on her face. Rachel, still in the clothes she wore to bed, headed over to the group of three seniors, taking a seat next to Wes in the row in front of Mercedes and Shane.

"There's the leading lady," Mercedes teased. "We were wondering when you were going to get here. We can't exactly start the rehearsal without you," she laughed.

"Sorry. I've just been running a little slow today. You know, not enough sleep," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Ah, that must explain the sweatpants and minimal makeup, then," Mercedes said, nodding her head towards Rachel. "I haven't seen you once in an outfit that was short of flawless. Now, tell me about these rumors concerning you and a certain football player I've been hearing about," Mercedes said, a sly grin on her face.

Rachel was a bit taken aback. "W-what?" she asked, her cheeks turning pink. "Where did you hear that?"

"Didn't need to hear it. Puck was here yesterday surrounded by a group of hot, senior girls. I may not know him well, but I know it takes a hell of a lot for someone with his kind of reputation to leave a group of girls, yet he ran off after you when you headed out after rehearsal yesterday, making me think the only reason he showed up here was to see you. Are you two an item or something?"

Rachel chewed on her lower lip before nodding her head once. "Yes, he's my boyfriend. He took me on the worst date of my life last night, but he was very sweet about it. I don't know. I guess I feel like he shows a different side around me than he shows around other people. He's been after me since the first day I met him, actually He's my roommate's brother."

"Ooh, you sure it's a good idea to date your roommate's brother? What if things go sour?" Wes asked, looking next to him at Rachel.

"It already did. I mean, the first night after we met, he majorly fucked up and I wouldn't let him around me. I only really started talking to him and spending time with him again after the auditions for this. I mean, this is all really new for me. I'm just hoping Quinn and I are close enough that if things go bad with her brother, it won't turn into World War III in our dorm," she said with a small laugh.

"Damn though. You managed to get player Puck to give up his ways and settle down. He must really like you. I can't remember the last time he really _dated_ a girl. Like, more than just a fuck buddy," Shane said, his arm around Mercedes' shoulders.

"Oh would you stop?" Mercedes asked. "I know what you're thinking, but I don't think she's like that. Hell, any other girl wouldn't have cared if Puck screwed up right after meeting them. They'd have still begged him to sleep with them because he's Puck." She turned her attention back to Rachel. "You don't even seem to care that he's this huge deal on campus."

Rachel shook her head. "I don't. Not really, anyways. Football doesn't matter to me. I'm not into sports. Never have been. The fact that Noah can throw a football well does nothing for me."

"Well, I still think it's sweet. He needs a non-slutty girl to make him less of an asshole. He's always such a dick to people since he can be. I think you could make him more bearable," Mercedes said.

"I hope so. Between you and me, I really do like him. He can be a jerk and a douchebag, but he can also be incredibly thoughtful and kind."

"Alright people, quite down!" Tina's voice rang throughout the theater as she stood on the stage in front of everyone, dressed in her typical outfit of a long skirt and a tank top. Artie was seated next to the front row alongside Emma. Rachel's stomach dropped when she saw Jesse sitting beside Emma, the same smirk he always had on his face. "Since most of you are fucking idiots when it comes to learning dance moves, I'm going to have to spend extra time teaching you how not to destroy our set and make Artie and I look like incompetent fools. Yes, assholes sitting to my laugh laughing and not listening, I'm talking to you."

The guys to whom she directed her comment immediately stopped talking, looking more than embarrassed.

"You all are so fucking stupid, I don' know how you got this far in school. How hard is it to learn a simple dance?" She shook her head. "Anyways, since I have to spend extra time with these idiots, I can't help Rachel with her dances for Belle, so I brought in help. You all remember Jesse," she said, gesturing her arms towards Jesse. He rose to his feet and gave everyone a grin as they let out a round of applause. "Jesse's going to be helping our lead actors with their dances while I work with the incompetent chorus members. So you three," she said, pointing to Rachel, Wes, and Shane. "Listen to whatever he tells you. Jesse's a genius when it comes to dance." She redirected her attention back to the group as she continued yelling at them.

Rachel could hardly hear her. The one thing she had truly loved about school so far had now officially been ruined thanks to Jesse St. James.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: Sorry for the long delay in between chapters everyone! I got really busy with that silly thing called life for a while but I'm back now, I promise. Expect regular updates once again on this story as well as my other stories!**

Rachel could honestly say she was glad to have Puck show up at the end of rehearsal to walk her back to her dorm, even if it meant that she was going to get glares from every female (and some of the males) who were in the musical.

Jesse had made rehearsal absolutely dreadful. He criticized everything she did (and not in a constructive manner), at one point causing Rachel to break down into tears. He always knew the things to say that would make her cry.

In the end, Rachel was a sweating, sobbing mess—not the way she wanted to greet her brand-new boyfriend on their first full day of being together.

Rachel didn't know what time Puck walked into rehearsal, but when Jesse finally dismissed them, he was right by her side. Before Rachel could manage to verbalize a greeting, his lips were on hers, his hands on either side of her face. Rachel could feel the heat rising in her face but she didn't bother to pull away. It was kind of nice, after all.

Puck went over to grab her things while Rachel chatted with Mercedes who was teasing her about Puck's sudden public display of affection. "You know, I've never seen him greet a girl like that. Granted, I don't spend a lot of time in his company, but every time I have seen him in public with a girl, he's much more _forward_ than a simple kiss on the lips. Homeboy has it bad," she laughed.

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked, feeling a bit confused by what Mercedes was saying.

"Don't worry, you'll understand in time," she laughed. "So what are you and your quarterback boyfriend doing tonight?" she asked.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Mercy," Rachel laughed, giving the senior a quick shove. "I'm an eighteen-year-old college freshman with zero carnal knowledge. I'm not about to give it up the first full day of dating. We're going to O'Hara's with my roommate, her boy-whatever, my bff, and his big-mouthed roommate to see a band playing."

"Ooh, sounds fun. Is the band any good?"

"I should think so. It's the band I performed with not that long ago. Well, sort of. It's two of the guys from there with a new singer since April still has her leg in a cast and Bryan doesn't want to do it without her or whatever. I promised Will and Coop I'd come see them perform for moral support or whatever."

"You know, that would be a ton of fun. You should tell everyone to come. I'm sure the extra people would be great for the band plus it would give everyone here a chance to spend time with each other outside of rehearsal."

"Oh, I doubt they'd all come. Most everyone here seems to hate me since I stole the quarterback off the market," she said, glancing over at Puck. He'd grabbed her bag and was attempting to make his way back to Rachel but had found himself swarmed by most of the other girls in the musical, most of whom were ignoring his excuses of needing to get home.

"Hey, listen up!" Mercedes shouted, ignoring everything Rachel had just said. "We're all going to O'Hara's tonight to see a new band there. I better see all your asses there or you're not invited to my kick-ass opening night party that I've had every year. And let Puck get back to his girlfriend—he's not going to fuck any of you so you might as well stop looking like such desperate sluts."

The group of giggling girls surrounding Puck blushed a deep shade of red before backing away from him, shooting daggers at both Mercedes and Rachel.

"Right, like I was saying. O'Hara's tonight at nine. It's cast-bonding or whatever, so everyone better show up—that means you too, Emma," Mercedes added, looking over at Professor Sylvester's TA who had been supervising all the rehearsals so far.

"Oh, I don't know," Emma said softly. "I'm not part of the cast and you're all so much younger than me."

"So? We want you there. You seem like so much more fun than Sue has ever been. Come. I'll even buy you a drink," Mercedes said with a laugh, throwing her bag over her shoulder. She gave a wave to Rachel before taking Shane's arm and walking out of the auditorium, shouting a reminder to everyone that they had better show up tonight or incur her wrath tomorrow.

"So, does that mean I'm invited too?" Jesse asked, coming up behind Rachel. The small freshman jumped a little, not having seen him approach her. "Someone seems nervous," he teased, moving to the left so he was standing beside her, his eyes on the approaching Puck.

"Go away Jesse. I'm trying to spend as little time as possible with you, and since I'm not obligated to hang around you right now, I'd really love for you to fuck off and leave me in peace."

"Wow, I don't remember you talking to me like that when we dated."

"That was because you'd fooled me into thinking I was in love with you. Now that I know what kind of person you really are underneath that charming exterior you use to fool girls like me, I have no qualms about telling you exactly how I feel about you," she snapped.

"Ouch, right to the heart. You know that hurts, Rach," he joked, making a scene of placing his right hand over his chest where his heart was. "Come on, you can't tell me you still don't care a little bit about me?"

"Not one ounce," she said, not bothering to look over at him. Of course, that was a lie—Jesse was her first love. That didn't go away just because he'd raked her across the coals and broken her heart into a million pieces. Somewhere, a small part of her still did care for him. Not that she'd ever tell him that.

"Liar. Your right eyebrow always twitches when you tell a lie. Admit it, Berry. You still have the hots for me. Not that I blame you. I am quite the catch if I do say so myself."

"Get lost. I'm not talking about this now or ever, especially not when Noah is walking up to us."

"Oh, so you haven't told the new boyfriend about this part of your past then?"

"Not. Your. Business," she said, emphasizing each word. Rachel put on a smile as Puck walked up to them, her bag slung over his shoulder. "Shall we go then?" he asked, looking from Rachel to Jesse and back to Rachel with a confused expression.

"I thought you'd never ask," Rachel said, reaching out to take his hand. She didn't bother to glance back at Jesse, even when he called that he'd see her later after her.

Once they were outside of the auditorium, Puck pulled Rachel close, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Of course, they got some looks from people passing by them—he was a big deal on campus, after all.

"So who was that guy?" Puck finally asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I don't remember him from yesterday."

"That's because he wasn't at rehearsals yesterday. He's helping out with the dancing for the show and I'm lucky enough to get lessons from him," she said sarcastically.

"You don't seem two happy about that," Puck commented.

"He's an asshole. Of course I'm not happy about it."

"You just met the guy and already think he's an asshole? What'd he do to piss you off?" Puck asked with a laugh.

Rachel let out a sigh, leaning a little closer to him as they approached her dorm building. "This really isn't the best place to talk about it. I'm covered in sweat and I still smell like chocolate from the milkshake last night. How about you let me shower and then I promise to tell you all about how Jesse St. James is the world's biggest asshole Deal?"

Puck let out a laughed, leaning his head down to give Rachel one quick kiss. "Deal," he promised, following behind her as she swiped the two of them into her building. They took the elevator up to her floor and headed down the hall towards her room. Puck watched as she unlocked the door, smiling at him as she opened it and let the two of them inside.

Quinn was in the room, blow-drying her hair in front of the one mirror in the room while Joe sat patiently on her bed, laughing about something. They both looked up as the door opened and Rachel walked in with Puck trailing behind her. "Hey doll, how was rehearsal?" Quinn asked, shutting off her hair dryer and setting it on top of her desk, running a comb through her hair as she asked.

"Torture, but what else is new?" she said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Aw, is Belle not having fun singing?" Joe teased, leaning back against Quinn's pillows, his arms behind his head.

"Nice to see you too, Joseph," Rachel said, rolling her eyes at him. She took her bag from Puck, placing it on her bed. "I thought you'd already be at O'Hara's by now," Rachel commented, slipping her shoes off as she headed into her closet, retrieving her bathrobe and a pair of old flip flops. "I thought Kurt said he wanted to get there early to see if he could catch Blaine before he got slammed with work."

"He did. He and Sam left ten minutes ago. He took your car, by the way," Quinn laughed.

Rachel shook her head. "I always knew it was a mistake giving him his own set of keys," she said as she yanked the hair tie out of her hair, letting the dark waves fall down her back. Rachel ran a hand through her hair, attempting to untangle it somewhat. "What about you two?"

"We're leaving as soon as the queen bee is satisfied with her hair, though who knows how long that could take."

"Excuse you, I'm practically ready. I just need to put a little hairspray in and then we can leave. Apparently, California boy posers are the most impatient people on this earth," Quinn said, giving Rachel a grin.

"Are you ever going to let that go?"

"No, because you claimed I wasn't a true California girl since I'd never been surfing yet you're not even from the state yourself." Quinn slipped a pair of black boots on over her jeans, ruffling her blonde hair once. "Alright, I'm ready." She held a hand out to him, pulling him to his feet. "We'll see you two there. Make good choices, diva!" Quinn laughed as she and Joe left the room, shutting the door behind them.

Puck walked over, taking a seat on Rachel's bed. "I still don't like that guy."

"I doubt you'd like anyone who shows any kind of interest in your sister. Or me," she teased, placing a kiss on his forehead. "I'm going to go shower. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be fast, I promise."

Puck watched as Rachel walked out of the room, lying down on her bed, He kicked his shoes off, leaving them on the floor of her room as he stared up at the ceiling. It was a weird feeling, being Rachel's boyfriend. Puck didn't have a lot of experience being someone's boyfriend. He had _lots_ of experience being in a girl's bed, but not much being the guy who fell for a girl and worked so hard to impress her. It was a bit humbling and he wasn't sure if he really liked this feeling. He supposed he was just as inexperienced as Rachel in the dating department. He was as much a virgin as her when it came to that stuff.

Puck rolled over on her bed, his face resting in her pillow. He wasn't sure if it was her conditioner, her perfume, or just her natural scent, but whatever it was, it made her pillow smell amazing. It was the same thing he smelled whenever Rachel was walking close to him, her side pressed against his.

"Creep. Did you just smell my pillow?"

Puck looked up, seeing Rachel standing in the doorway, her pink bathrobe wrapped around her body, her towel wrapped around her head, and her dirty clothes clutched in her arms. She shut the door behind her, dropping her clothing in the hamper on her side of the room.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. You'll never prove it either way," he teased, sitting up as Rachel took a seat on the edge of her bed beside him. He moved closer to her, his arm around her waist as he nuzzled his face against her neck. "Though you can't blame me if I did. Your pillow smells just as good as you do," he said, causing Rachel to laugh. "What?" he asked, pulling back slightly.

"It tickles when you talk with your mouth resting against my neck like that," she teased, tapping his nose lightly. "Okay, turn away. I need to get changed and I'm not as content with you staring at my naked ass as I am with Kurt doing the same."

"Hey, no fair. Why does Kurt get to stare at you naked but I can't?" he joked, pretending to pout slightly. Rachel rolled her eyes at him and Puck laughed, lying down face first on her bed, being sure not to look at her. Of course, he did happen to turn his head to the side once when she was putting her bra on. He only got a look at her bare back, but it was still enough to cause some blood to flow south, causing Puck to shift uncomfortably on her bed. He shielded his eyes once more, keeping them hidden until Rachel gave him the okay to look around again.

Her hair was still wet and she hadn't put any makeup on yet, but she still looked flawless in Puck's opinion. She was in a red lacy top with skinny jeans. She'd paired it with a nude cuff on her wrist, gold earrings, and a ring with an off-white stone in it. He saw a pair of nude peep-toe pumps and a tan clutch she'd pulled out of her closet and placed by the door.

Rachel walked over to Puck, sitting on the edge of the bed as he sat up, placing his arm behind her as he leaned close. She smiled up at him, placing her hand on his knee.

"I promised you earlier I'd tell you who Jesse is and why I think he's such an asshole, and I feel as though I should tell you now before we leave or I'll never end up telling you, and you deserve to know."

"Rach, you're scaring me. Who is this guy?"

"He's my ex."

"I thought Kurt was your ex."

"He is," Rachel said, her eyes staring down at her lap. She didn't want to see what Puck's face looked like right now. "But so is Jesse. I—I haven't told many people about this. Kurt doesn't even know. I'm trying to find the right time to tell him the truth, but I keep chickening out." She looked up as she felt Puck take her hand in his, seeing him give her a reassuring smile.

It felt like the store went on forever. Rachel just kept talking and talking and talking until she told Puck everything. How she met Jesse, their sneaking around, his habit of tearing her down and making her doubt herself, and the messy end to their relationship.

"So that's why you freaked that night in the bar," he said after she'd finished talking.

Rachel nodded her head. "Yes. It just reminded me so much of what I went through with Jesse. I let you in that day, thought you were different despite my better judgment, so it hurt to see you prove to me that you were like every other guy out there."

"But I'm not," Puck said quietly, squeezing Rachel's hand. "I'm not like every other guy out there."

Rachel smiled at him. "I know you're not. You're so much better than all those silly boys I've known all my life. You're smart, and kind, and sweet, and you have the most wonderful heart of anybody I've ever met before." She leaned her head up, kissing him lightly on the lips. "I know you can't be happy about me being a virgin and giving you blue balls every time we're around each other, but it means a lot to me. I know you respect me and would never do anything to prove otherwise, even if you do happen to peak while I'm changing," she teased.

"I—how did you—?"

Rachel let out a laugh, hugging Puck tightly around the middle. "You weren't exactly subtle about it," she said, her fingers running over the back of his neck. "And strangely, I don't care. If it keeps you from pressuring me into bed with you, then peak away," she teased, laughing as she was pulled onto Puck's lap.

He held her close, glancing at the clock. He knew they needed to be at O'Hara's ten minutes ago, but this was one of the only times he'd been alone with Rachel since he'd asked her out last night. They could afford to be a little late if it meant he got to hold her in his arms for just a minute.


	22. Chapter 22

By the time Rachel finished getting ready, she and Puck were over half an hour late getting to O'Hara's. Rachel sat in the front seat of Puck's car while he drove the two of them to the bar, humming along to the music coming from the radio.

"You know, I feel kind of bad. Almost everyone knows I'm seeing you now except my best friend in the whole wide world," Rachel said, looking over at Puck as he pulled into the parking lot, driving around as he searched for an empty spot.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he drove down a row of spots, all of them filled He hadn't expected O'Hara's to be this crowded. It wasn't even after ten yet. "I thought you would have texted the bestie the moment I was out of your sight."

"This isn't exactly something you say over text. This is big news, Noah!" Rachel laughed. "Kurt has practically been objectifying you from the moment we met you and has said on multiple occasions that you're the hottest guy we've ever met and why the fuck haven't I given you the time of day yet. I have to tell him face to face."

"So why didn't you knock down his door last night and proclaim the wonderful news that you have s super hot boyfriend who just happens to be the best thing on campus since they opened O'Hara's?" he teased, pulling his car into an open parking spot, turning off the car.

"Because I ran into some jackass who took up all my time until your sister rescued me and held me hostage until I recounted the entire evening to her. I haven't even texted Kurt let alone seen him since earlier yesterday."

"Well, then he'll have to be the first person we come out to," Puck laughed, leaning over to give Rachel a fast kiss. "Come on, we're already late. I'm surprised Quinn hasn't sent out the search and rescue party yet." He climbed out of the car, walking over to Rachel's side and opened the door for her. He took her hand, helping her out of the car before shutting the door and locking the car.

Rachel slipped her hand into Puck's, walking towards the front door of O'Hara's. It was weird coming back here with Puck by her side. The last time she'd been here, the night had been filled with betrayal, tears, and heartbreak. Rachel knew tonight was going to be different, but she still couldn't help but think back to that horrible night a few weeks back.

"You're thinking about Marley and the last time we were both here, aren't you?" Puck asked, glancing down at Rachel who had grown silent as they grew closer to the front entrance.

"Maybe a little, but that doesn't mean I think that's going to happen again. I know girls throw themselves at you like you're some kind of god, but I trust you, Noah. I really like you and I want this to work out, and it won't if I can't trust you with the other members of the female population at this school. I just hope that trust isn't misplaced again."

"It's not. I promise you, Rachel. I will never do anything to hurt you ever again." Puck stopped walking, turning so his back was to O'Hara's and he was facing Rachel as she stood in the gravel parking lot. "I don't date. I never have. I never saw the point in it because every girl I was involved with wasn't the kind of girl I would have wanted to date. She wasn't the kind of girl you could take home to meet your mother or the kind you could one day marry and have a shit ton of kids with. You, however, are. You're the girl I want to meet my mom, even if she is a crazy Jewish mother who will end up scaring you away. You're the one I'm proud to call my girlfriend. You're the one girl I'm willing to work my ass off for to prove I'm worth you taking a chance on me. I'm not about to fuck that up again now that you've temporarily gone insane and decided to give me another shot."

Rachel smiled up at him. "You know, despite the copious use of profanity, that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. And I haven't gone temporarily insane—I opened my eyes and realized there was this amazing boy in my life so I better make damn sure I didn't let him get away. Come on, we have a secret to reveal"

Rachel reached down to take Puck's hand, pulling his arm a little so they were walking back towards the bar. Rachel could hear the muffled voices and music coming from inside, expecting a large crowd when they walked in. She wasn't sure she wanted half the school finding out tonight that a lowly freshman was dating the star quarterback, but she supposed it was bound to get out eventually. Puck was a pretty visible person on campus, after all.

Rachel paused slightly before she and Puck walked in the door, the smell of cigarette smoke and cheap beer filling her nostrils. It wasn't exactly a welcome scent and she was cursing herself for wearing her favorite jeans. Who knew how many times she was going to have to wash them to get the cigarette smell out of them.

Rachel peered around the crowd, trying to find Kurt, Quinn, and Sam. She started at the bar, figuring Kurt would be glued to a stool there all night in an attempt to capture Blaine's attention. To her surprise, she didn't spot Blaine's mess of curly hair behind the bar. Instead, it was the Latina girl she'd seen last time paired with a tall blonde guy. He was wearing a white tee-shirt, his arms covered with tattoos. They were both busy making drinks while the waitresses, dressed in skimpy outfits that consisted of cutoff shorts, a black jeweled bikini top, and black sneakers, dropped off more drink orders from the various patrons in the bar.

Rachel didn't spot her friends by the bar, so she allowed her eyes to scan the crowd, hoping to spot at least one of them. Of course, that was easier said than done.

"Rachel, there you are!" Rachel turned around, seeing Mercedes walking over towards her, drink in hand with Shane, Wes, and Tina not far behind her. Mercedes was in a pair of jeans matched with a pink flowy top and cork strappy wedges. Her dark hair was curled and framed her face nicely. She didn't appear to be drunk at all. Shane, on the other hand, seemed to be swaying slightly as he stood beside his girlfriend. "We've been looking for you for the past twenty minutes," she said with a laugh.

Rachel leaned back slightly against Puck's chest, smiling as he wrapped a protective arm around her upper body. "We just got here," she explained. "Just running a bit late, you know. Is everyone else already here?"

Mercedes nodded her head. "I think so. I've seen mostly everyone with the exception of one or two people, but they're probably just lost in this crowd. I haven't seen Emma yet, though I don't know if she's actually going to show up."

Rachel nodded her head over towards the door. "She just walked in." Mercedes turned, spotting Emma standing awkwardly in the door. She was glancing around the scene with an uncomfortable face as though she didn't really belong. Emma was dressed in a black peplum top, white jeans, and a pair of black wedges. Her red hair was in loose waves and fell over her shoulders.

Mercedes waved her over and Emma made her way towards them, carefully making her way in between people, making sure not to touch anyone. "Emma! You made it!" Mercedes said enthusiastically with a smile on her face.

Rachel gave Mercedes a small wave before she took Puck's hand, pulling him away from the group as she set out to find Kurt and the rest of her friends. There were so many people, even if she was standing right next to Kurt she doubted she would have realized it. "Come on, let's get a drink first," she suggested to Puck, changing directions and heading towards the bar instead.

Puck wrapped his arms around Rachel's waist from behind as they reached the bar, finding a small space towards the left of where the Latina bartender was yelling at some poor drunk kid. From the sounds of it, he'd attempted to grab her ass as she walked away and she was not standing for that.

"Chill out, Lopez," Puck called over with a laugh as the kid slumped away, looking more than embarrassed. The girl turned, her arms crossed over her chest. She was dressed in a leopard print bustier that ended at her ribcage and had paired it with a pair of skin tight black jeans and a studded belt around her waist. Her dark hair fell down her back. She was wearing more makeup than Rachel imagined possible and had finished the whole look with black dangling earrings and a thick bracelet on her wrist.

"Shut the fuck up, Puckerman," she said, walking over towards him. "If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it. Now are you and your flavor of the week going to order something or just stand here and dirty up my bar?"

Puck rolled his eyes. "I'll just have a beer. You want anything, Rachel?"

"If she's ordering something, I definitely need to see some idea. She's a baby. What, did the senior girls get sick of your shit so you had to stop by the local middle school to find someone willing to bang you?"

"One, that's disgusting. And two, Rachel's a freshman, thank you very much. She's Quinn's roommate."

"Right, because it's always a good idea to screw around with your sister's roommate," Santana said with a roll of her eyes, setting a bottle down in front of Puck. "Now either pay and get out of my face or order something else. I'm not wasting good tips by standing here and chatting with you and the high school class president."

Puck glanced at Rachel who shook her head. He set some money on the bar before taking Rachel's hand, navigating them away from the crowd at the bar and back into the crowd in the rest of the building. "Who was that?" Rachel asked loudly, attempting to be heard over all the other voices.

"Santana. She's one of the bartenders here. She can be a bit of a bitch to most people, but I'm one of the few she'll actually talk to be and be somewhat civil towards. Plus she gets me a beer without me ever having to ask and she can easily scare a girl off who is trying to hit on me when I'm clearly not interested."

"Well, she scares me," Rachel said, weaving through the crowd, keeping her eyes peeled for Kurt, Sam, or Quinn. "She looked like she could reduce a girl like me to tears with just her words."

"She has. Three times. She's not the kind of girl you want as your enemy, but she's a good friend to have if you're patient enough to try and get close to her. I can see her falling in love with you just like everyone else has."

Rachel rolled her eyes at him as they found an empty bit of space near the left side of the room. "Everyone is not in love with me."

"Oh really? Let's see—there's Kurt—"

"Biffle doesn't count since I've known him for practically my whole life."

"Are you going to let me finish or interrupt me after every name?" he teased. Rachel's cheeks turned red and she crossed her arms over her chest. Puck laughed, kissing her forehead once. "Right, as I was saying, there's Kurt, who would do anything to make you happy. Then there's my sister who never had a real girl friend until she met you. Sam worships the ground you walk on and, if he wasn't roommates with Kurt, I'm positive he would have asked you out already. Will and Cooper see you as the little sister they never had and were ready to kick my ass the last time we were all here. And how could I forget Blaine, who seems to love to tease you but would never say anything that would actually hurt your feelings. Face it, Rachel. You have the whole school wrapped around your little finger by just being your normal, wonderful self."

Rachel smiled up at him, resting her palms against his chest as she laughed. "You're full of shit, Mister Puckerman. None of that bullshit you just rattled off is remotely true. You were just pulling stuff out of your ass to make me melt so I invite you into my bed tonight."

"That's not—okay, maybe it's a little true—but everything I just said is one hundred percent the truth. Just asked them if you don't believe me."

"How am I supposed to do that when I can't even find my own nose in this place?" she asked with a laugh.

"Walk fifty feet to the left," he said, pointing over her shoulder. Rachel turned towards the direction of where he was pointing, spotting her group of friends and the only people who really mattered to her standing in a group. Kurt was leaning against the wall, Blaine next to him. The two of them seemed to be laughing at something Joe had said while Quinn was on his back, her arms wrapped around his neck. Sam was standing with Will and Cooper, the three of them discussing something separate from the rest of the group. Finn was standing beside Quinn and Joe, looking as though he felt extremely awkward. None of them had apparently spotted Rachel and Puck—and if they had, they were pretending they hadn't.

"Ready?" she asked, looking up at her boyfriend. "If they're all as in love with me as you claim they are, then you're in for a long round of questioning," she teased.

Puc put an arm around her shoulders, taking a sip of his beer. "Bring it on," he laughed, heading over to the group. They walked up to Kurt, Rachel tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Finally, Diva. I was about to call a private investigator to make sure you hadn't been kidnapped by some crazy stalker fan or something. What took you so—" He cut off mid-sentence, noticing Puck's arm around Rachel. "Wait. Stop. You're actually dating this slut now?" he asked, though his tone was light-hearted.

"As of last night," Rachel said, looking up at Puck with a smile. "Apparently persistence and wearing me down is a weakness of mine. Or maybe it's sexually-active football players. Either way, I finally gave in after the first date from hell."

"Diva, I'm insulted you waited until now to tell me you _finally_ have a boyfriend. I thought you would have told me before you told the blonde," he said, gesturing towards Quinn who seemed to be the only one not surprised by their joined hands.

"I resent that," Quinn said, sticking her tongue out at Kurt. "She does live with me, it's only natural she would have told me first. Face it bitch, you've been replaced by a cuter, blonder version," she laughed, hopping down from Joe's back.

Kurt rolled his eyes, ignoring Quinn's remarks entirely. "So, spill. How did this al go down?" Kurt asked. Will's phone started ringing and he stepped away momentarily, shooting Rachel an apologetic look.

Rachel looked up at Puck for a moment before laughing. "He makes this big deal about showing up after rehearsal and causing every girl there who already hates me to hate me even more, then takes me on the worst date of my life."

"Even worse than the one you went on with the ass Jesse?" Kurt asked.

Rachel shifted a bit uncomfortably so Puck pulled her close, his hand on her shoulder in a protective manner. "Nothing could be worse than what we went through last night," Puck said, letting out a laugh. "We ended up at the restaurant my ex works at, and she proceeded to dump Rachel's drink order on her, ruining what I'm sure was a sweater worth more than my car."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "It wasn't worth that much," she said, her arms finding their way around his waist, the side of her face pressed against his chest. "But yeah, that happened. And then he lost his keys and left me outside in the rain while he went to find them."

"To be fair, it wasn't raining when I left you there," Puck said defensively, kissing her on the forehead.

"Aw, you two are so sweet you're giving me a cavity," Kurt said sarcastically, sticking his tongue out in Rachel's direction. "Looks like little Miss Berry is on the path to lose her virginity finally," he proclaimed, loud enough for everyone in their group to hear. Although most of the people present already knew that little bit of information, Rachel's face still turned bright red.

"Why don't you say it a little louder, dollface. I think a few people next door didn't hear you shout that I haven't let anyone examine what I possess underneath my skirt. It's not like you have years of experience in the bedroom department," she laughed as Will walked back over to them, shoving his phone into his pocket. "Everything okay, Schuester? You look a little grim."

"I swear to god, I have the worst luck with singers. Michelle just called because her stupid fucking boyfriend asked her to marry him and they're too busy having we just got engaged sex for her to get her ass down here and sing for us."

"So why don't you just sing, Will?" Rachel suggested. "You have a great voice and I'm sure every single person in this building with a vagina would go weak at the knees hearing you croon to them."

"Well, I picked out our entire set-list based on the assumption a hot chick would be belting them out, not some washed-up wannabe rock star who's approaching his late-20's. I'm pretty sure hearing me sing Joan Jett would just come off as sad. No, it has to be a girl. You gotta sing for us again, Rach. You'e the only one here I know who could pull off a killer set without any rehearsal."

"I-what? No no," Rachel said shaking her head back and forth. "I did that last time as a favor. I don't want to b some rock goddess. Besides, I'm not dressed to handle the wolves. Everyone here is going to think I suck and have no business fronting a rock band."

"I have yet to hear a valid excuse, Berry," Cooper said, moving to stand beside Will. "You've got the best voice out of everyone here. We trust you to take on the sharks here and have everyone eating out of your palm like last time. Please. We'll crash and burn without you."

Rachel let out a sigh as she watched both Will and Cooper give her puppy-dog eyes. She gave Puck's hand a squeeze, closing her eyes for a moment. "I must b crazy for doing this again. Okay, get me backstage before I change my mind."

Will let out a delighted laugh while Cooper pulled Rachel into a crushing hug "Marry me?" he joked as he put an arm around her shoulder, leading her towards backstage.

"You got this, Diva. Knock 'em dead!" Kurt called after her before turning to look at Puck. "What are you doing here? Be a supportive boyfriend and go with her before I rescind my approval of this relationship."

Puck din't need to be told twice. He chased after Rachel, following her backstage. He watched as Will and her went over the songs she was going to sing. He took a seat on a folding chair, his eyes never leaving her. There was something about Rachel hat just drew him in. It was like she was the one person he was meant to be with. It had to be that-what other explanation was there for how he'd fallen head over heels for a girl he'd met less than a month ago?


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: Oops, I forgot to post all the outfits from the last chapter. They're up on my polyvore account right now. Thanks once again for all your reviews, alerts, and favorites. I know a lot hasn't been happening in the past few chapters, but some MAJOR things are coming up in the next 5 chapters.**

Rachel would have been lying if she said she pictured the night ending with Will Schuester, the tattooed rock star who was her former mentor throughout high school flirting up a storm with Emma Pillsbury, the straight-laced graduate student overseeing the production of _Beauty and the Beast_. Yet the two of them were standing to the side of the stage, Emma laughing at something Will had said while his left hand rested on her upper arm.

From looks alone, the two could not have been more different. Will was covered in tattoos and had multiple piercings. He wore skinny jeans and tight shirts. His hair was usually a mess, falling in his face. He looked like the rock star he s desperately wanted to be. Emma, on the other hand, reminded Rachel of herself sometimes. She dressed very classy and always looked very put together. Rachel saw her going for a clean-cut, preppy guy, not someone like Will.

Yet, from what she had heard from Mercedes after she left the stage, Emma hadn't been able to stop staring at and gushing over Will during the whole performance. Apparently, the two knew each other because they had mutual friends or went to the same gm or something. Rachel hadn't heard where they knew each other from, but apparently the two were harboring some intense feelings for each other but neither was brave enough to make the first move.

Enter Rachel Berry.

From before she even got up on stage, she could tell Will was sending signals in Emma's direction and she was _very_ receptive to what he directing towards her. Of course, they were both complete idiots and wouldn't tell each other how badly they wanted to jump one another's bones.

Rachel, not the one to mind her own business and stay out of the love lives of others, was determined to see her one-time mentor and the adviser to her show get together. They were both complete morons, so obviously they'd make the cutest couple. Plus, Emma was exactly Will's type: red-headed, petite, and shy. She was stunned he hadn't asked her to marry him yet.

Backstage, Will was helping Rachel go over their song choices for the night, catching the occasional glimpse over her shoulder to make possible eye contact with Emma who hadn't taken her eyes off Will since she'd spotted him in the bar earlier. She was surrounded by a few other graduate students, but she seemed to be ignoring what they were saying to her, only having eyes for Will.

"So, how long have you been shooting rainbows of love towards Emma?" Rachel finally said, teasing him as he incorrectly told her she'd be singing 'Up Around the Bend' by Aerosmith when she knew for a fact it was by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

"Huh?" he asked, pulling his guitar strap over his head, resting it on his shoulder as he started tuning his guitar, getting ready for the show.

"The girl standing behind me who you've been unable to keep your eyes off for more than six seconds, also known as the stand in for my theater faculty adviser. So spill," she demanded.

"You know, I really don't understand what you're talking about most of the time, including now, but I assume you are implying I have a thing for Emma 'Queen of the Nerds' Pillsbury. Which I don't," he said defensively, staring down at the guitar resting across his chest, deciding it needed tuning right that very minute.

"You are a terrible liar, William Schuester," Rachel laughed, shoving him in the arm slightly. "I don't know why you're being so shy about it. The Will I know always goes up to a girl he wishes to have sexual relations with and flirts with her," she teased, her cheeks going slightly red as she brought up the 'S' word. She couldn't help it. Now that she had a boyfriend, the whole idea of sex became more real to her-and more terrifying.

"You sound like Mrs. Hagberg attempting to explain birth control," he joked, adjusting the strap on his guitar so it set more comfortably on his chest. "I don't have a thing for her, Rach. Stop being so nosy and learn your songs so we don't fucking suck up there," he said, giving her a look before walking over to Tyler, their drummer, to go over the set-list.

Rachel glanced around, spotting Cooper sitting in a folding chair to the side. She walked over towards him, glancing back at Will who kept looking past Tyler to where Emma was standing. Idiots.

"Oh, there's my favorite Anderson brother," she joked, her hand resting on his shoulder as she came up beside him. Cooper looked up at her with a smile, putting an arm around her waist. "Watch the hands or my boyfriend's going to get jealous," she joked, flicking him on the side of his head.

"I can't help it. My arms have a mind of their own around beautiful women," he teased, letting go of her a moment later as he leaned back in the chair. "What's up, gorgeous?" he asked. "I thought you were supposed to be looking over the set-list so you don't fuck up and lose us this gig."

"I'm not going to fuck up, relax. If you two didn't trust me enough not to, you wouldn't have had me fill in in the first place," she pointed out, her left hand resting on her hip. "I got this in the bag, so chill. Besides, I didn't walk those ten feet from over there to here to be accosted by you."

"Oh? Then why did you do all that work to come over and see me? Are you in love with me, Miss Rachel?" he teased, letting out a laugh as he took in her face, which seemed to be a mix between amusement and annoyance. "Lighten up, freshie. It's called a joke."

Rachel rolled her eyes at him. "I know what a joke is, perv. I just didn't happen to think that one was very funny. And I came over here to ask you a question."

"Ask away, my dear," he said, looking at her curiously.

"What's the deal with Will and Emma?"

"Who?" he asked.

"The red-head he can't stop staring at," Rachel said, jerking her head to the side in the direction where Emma was standing.

"Oh, psych student Emma," Cooper said with a nod. "He hasn't shut up about her since the damn semester started. Every night it's the same thing. Emma this and Emma that and oh my god you'll never believe what Emma did today and I swear to fucking God I will murder him in his sleep if he doesn't shut up about this broad. He likes her but he's too much of a pussy to actually ask her on a date, so instead he spends all night telling me about how amazing she is and how he's going to marry her and have a hundred demon ginger kids with her. Honest to God, I am three days away from blowing my brains out. I did not sign up for this lovesick puppy act when I let him move in with me."

"Yeah, how did you two even meet in the first place?" Rachel asked.

"Another time, another place my dear Berry. I thought you wanted the 411 on Ginger and Lovesick Will," he taunted.

"I did. I mean I do. So he's into her. What about her, or do you not know?" Rachel questioned.

"No, she digs him. At least that's what I've heard, anyways. I don't go to school with them-I'm a full-time rock star and don't have time to add to my edumacation," he laughed. "No, I joke. I work on campus during the day to earn some money so I can hopefully go back to school next semester and get a degree that will actually help me get a legitimate job so I don't have to spend all my time around the clowns who frequent this joint." Cooper caught a look at Rachel's face and nodded. "Right, another time. Anyways, I'll usually catch lunch with Will and a bunch of his friends, which always includes Emma. I swear to God, the chick can't stop staring at Will every time we're all together. She wants him, and I mean she wants him _bad_."

"And they're both giant idiots, so neither of them is going to make the first move. Am I correct?" Rachel asked.

Cooper nodded his head. "You hit the nail on the head, darling. Will's convinced Emma thinks he's some sort of sex freak-which he may be-since he hooked up with a friend of hers not long after he moved here. And Emma is convinced Will thinks she's a giant prudish nerd since she's overly involved in school. Basically, they both want each other but have convinced themselves the other one doesn't like them. And I have to listen to Schue moan and groan about it every fucking day."

"Then why haven't you done anything to push the dumbasses together? I would think just giving Will a little shove in the right direction would fix your problem."

"Romeo won't listen to reason. I keep trying to tell him Emma likes him, but he just goes on the same rant every time about how she's too good for him and a girl as classy as her would never like someone like him and blah blah blah. I can't take it anymore. Will was a totally chill dude when he moved in, but he's really getting on my nerves. Blaine's too. Another day of listening to him bitch about his love life and I think Blaine's going to slit his throat. No joke."

"Well, since you're too much of a dipshit to help Will and Ems realize they're perfect for one another, I guess that's my job then," she said, a mischievous grin crossing her face. "Now sit there, shut up, and listen to me. I've got a plan."

* * *

Rachel had told Will exactly what the plan was without telling him it was a plan to get him and Emma together. He was going to sing the fourth song of the set so, as Rachel explained it, she could spend one song dancing with Noah. In fact, she was going to find Emma and bring her to the front so Will would be singing right to her. Will wasn't happy about the change, claiming he wasn't a singer, but he agreed to sing one song as long as Rachel resumed her position the next song. She gladly agreed.

Rachel sang the first three songs, the drunken college students going just as wild for he as they had the last time she took the stage at O'Hara's. Rachel didn't understand the appeal. She was as far from a rock goddess as someone could be, yet everyone loved her. Quinn said it was because she was just plan adorable. Kurt said it was because she had a killer voice, but Rachel thought Joe probably had the best theory as to why everyone had the best theory.

"You're that girl," he said to her earlier in the night. "You know, the girl every guy dreams of. You're sugar and spice and everything nice. You don't have to announce to everyone that your this pure, innocent virgin. Everyone can tell just by looking at you. Not that that's a bad thing," he had added quickly. "It's all part of your charm."

Whatever it was, Rachel wasn't going to complain. She loved the cheers and applause she got from people-Rachel has always regarded herself like Tinkerbell from the movie _Hook_. She needed applause to live.

The looks, however. Well, she could do without those. Horny college boys plus copious amounts of alcohol equaled a night filled with suggestive gestures, catcalls, and sexual remarks from a majority of the patrons in the place. Rachel really wished they could refrain from that, but at least none of them seemed too pushy.

Well, Brody was but he seemed to be backing off, especially when Puck was at her side. She didn't know why, but people didn't seem to want to cross him. Maybe it was just because he seemed like a huge, hulking football player. Who knew.

Rachel slipped off the stage as Will stepped up to the mic, his guitar hanging across his chest. "Uh, yeah," he said awkwardly into the microphone as Rachel pushed her way through the crowd, people trying to stop her and engage her in conversation every three steps she took. She ignored them, searching for Emma. "Rachel's ditching us for a song because she's a dirty rotten traitor. Just kidding," he added quickly, chuckling under his breath. "She just needs a break, so you get to listen to me sing for a song. I apologize ahead of time. I'm a guitarist, not a singer."

He turned back, looking at Cooper and their drummer before nodding his head. Rachel faintly heard him counting before the music started and they began playing The Counting Crows. Rachel had insisted Will sing this song, or her plan may not work.

_So she said what's the problem baby_  
_What's the problem I don't know _  
_Well maybe I'm in love (love) _  
_Think about it every time_  
_I think about it_  
_Can't stop thinking 'bout it_

He was already a verse in and Rachel hadn't found Emma yet. She suspected she was with Mercedes unless she had found her friends in which case Rachel doubted she would ever found her and this whole charade would be for nothing.

As Will got into the second verse, she spotted a head of auburn hair standing next to a shorter woman held in the arms of a taller guy. Bingo.

"Emma!" Rachel called over, though her voice was drowned out by both Will's voice and the noises of everyone cheering and singing along around them. She pushed her way past a group of drunk sorority girls who gave Rachel a death glare, though she ignored them and continued on her path, eventually reaching Emma's side.

_How much longer will it take to cure this_  
_Just to cure it cause I can't ignore it if it's love (love) _  
_Makes me wanna turn around and face me but I don't know nothing 'bout love_

Rachel knew she had to get Emma to the front soon or this was all going to be for nothing. "Emma," Rachel said loudly, putting a hand on her arm. Emma turned, looking genuinely surprised to see Rachel standing next to her. Up until then, her eyes had been trained on Will.

"Girl, you were flawless up there. Like a modern day Joan Jett mixed with a dash of Lady Gaga or something," Mercedes laughed.

Rachel held a hand up, indicating the need for silence. "We'll talk later. Emma, you have to come with me. There's something I want to show you."

"Now?" she asked, looking a little disappointed. "But I love this song and Will has a surprisingly good voice. Can't it wait until you guys take a break?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, it can't. It'll be worth it, I promise," she said, holding her hand out. Emma looked at her for a moment before taking it, allowing Rachel to pull her away from Mercedes and Shane, waving back at them as Rachel and her disappeared back into the crowd.

_Come on, come on _  
_Turn a little faster_  
_Come on, come on _  
_The world will follow after_  
_Come on, come on _  
_Cause everybody's after love_

"Rachel, where are we going?" Emma shouted over the crowd, peering around. All she saw were bodies pressed against one another as drunk girls and horny guys danced with each other to the music.

"To the front," Rachel called back. "I need t show you something, but we have to get there before the end of the song."

_So I said I'm a snowball running _  
_Running down into the spring that's coming all this love _  
_Melting under blue skies _  
_Belting out sunlight _  
_Shimmering love_

Rachel breezed by Kurt, Quinn, and the rest of their friends, not even bothering to acknowledge them. Puck spotted her as she sped past him, watching her curiously. He whispered something to Finn before taking off after her, weaving in and out of the crowd, the back of Rachel's head still in his sight.

"Hey!" someone said, clapping him on the shoulder. Puck was still eager to catch up with Rachel, to be able to dance with her for just one song, but some guy had materialized in front of him, a smirk planted firmly on his face. "You're Puck, right? The quarterback?"

"Yeah, I am. But I'm a little busy at the moment, so if you don't mind," he said, attempting to push past the curly haired kid.

"Listen man, I know you want to go after the cute brunette who just disappeared into the mass of people, but I think you and I should talk."

"And why do you think that?" Puck asked impatiently, not really paying attention to much of what the guy said.

"Because I'm Jesse St. James and I'm the guy who used to go out with your girlfriend."

_Well baby I surrender _  
_To the strawberry ice cream_  
_Never ever end of all this love_  
_Well I didn't mean to do it _  
_But there's no escaping your love_

"Come on, Emma!" Rachel shouted, yanking on her arm a little forcefully. "We've got to get up there. We've got to get right in the front before the song ends or this will have been a complete waste of time."

"Why?" Emma asked, tripping slightly as she collided with the arm of a drunk sophomore.

"I don't have time to explain. Just trust me and help me push through this group. We're almost there."

_These lines of lightning _  
_Mean we're never alone, _  
_Never alone, no, no_

Rachel and Emma finally made it to the front, Rachel elbowing her way past a couple making out so she and Emma were right at the edge of the stage, staring up at Will crooning into the microphone. Looking at him, Rachel had no idea why he was convinced he needed a female singer. He was doing a perfectly adequate job himself. You could feel the ovaries of every female in the bar exploding as Will sang, all of them hoping he was singing right to them.

And Rachel couldn't blame them. Will was hot. Will had a sexy voice. And Will was _hot_.

Rachel gave Emma a small shove so she was a little in front of her before Rachel started swaying her hips to the music, her arms above her head as she did so. "Come on Emma, move," she urged, hoping Will had spotted them. The rest of the plan hinged on him noticing that Emma was directly in front of him and watching his every move.

_Come on, Come on_  
_Move a little closer _  
_Come on, Come on_  
_I want to hear you whisper_  
_Come on, Come on _  
_Settle down inside my love_

At first, Rachel didn't think Will had noticed them. Cooper had, but Will was still scanning the crowd, jamming on his guitar as he sang. Finally, she saw Cooper elbow him in the ribs and gesture towards the area front and center.

Rachel was behind Emma, dancing wildly while Emma stood still. Her hands were resting at her sides as she stared up at Will, admiration in her eyes. Rachel was smiling slightly as Will finally caught her eye and she knew it had worked. There was no way these two weren't getting together after this.

_Come on, come on _  
_Jump a little higher_  
_Come on, come on_  
_If you feel a little lighter_  
_Come on, come on _  
_We were once_  
_Upon a time in love_

Will changed his whole stage persona once he spotted Emma looking at him. Before, he'd been singing to every girl in the room. But now, his whole attention was focused on Emma. He angled his body towards her, taking a few steps towards the front of the stage. He never missed a note and his voice didn't quaver once, but he'd changed. Will was now, most definitely, singing to Emma.

_We're accidentally in love _  
_Accidentally in love_  
_Accidentally in love_  
_Accidentally in love_  
_Accidentally in love_  
_Accidentally in love_  
_Accidentally in love_  
_Accidentally in love_

Rachel saw the smile that spread on Emma's face, watching her lean towards the stage. That look said everything to Rachel. Emma wanted Will as much as he wanted her, or even possibly more. She was looking up at him with eyes that said she'd found her husband, she'd found the man she would spend her life with.

Rachel always saw herself as a perceptive person, and the feelings coming off both of them said one thing to Rachel: they were going to get married some day. Sooner rather than later, but it would happen one day.

_Accidentally _  
_I'm In Love, I'm in Love, _  
_I'm in Love, I'm in Love, _  
_I'm in Love, I'm in Love,_  
_Accidentally _  
_I'm In Love, I'm in Love, _  
_I'm in Love, I'm in Love, _  
_I'm in Love, I'm in Love,_  
_Accidentally _

_Come on, come on_  
_Spin a little tighter_  
_Come on, come on _  
_And the world's a little brighter_  
_Come on, come on _  
_Just get yourself inside her _

_Love ...I'm in love_

Rachel watched Will play the final chord of the song. Normally he would have looked over at Cooper and grinned in triumph at another completed song, but his eyes were still on Emma. Rachel knew they weren't going to leave her for the rest of the night.

* * *

Once the set was over and they were all packed up, Will was still standing at the edge of the stage with Emma, both of them locked in their own little world, completely oblivious to everyone around them. Cooper was carrying the equipment out to his truck with the help of Blaine and Sam. Quinn and Rachel were sitting at the edge of the stage, giggling as they watched the interactions between Will and Emma.

"They are seriously beyond adorable," Quinn gushed as Joe stood off to the side, talking to Kurt about who knew what. "Point one for matchmaker Rachel," she teased, leaning her head on Rachel's shoulder. "Why couldn't you have used your skills earlier this year on me and Finn?" she joked, looking over in the corner where Finn was sulking. Puck had disappeared after venturing to find Rachel. The bar was cleared out mostly with a few exceptions, but Puck hadn't reappeared. Rachel figured he was outside talking to friends or something and figured he'd reappear momentarily.

"If I had, then what would have become of the ruggedly handsome, California-impersonator, surfer-boy Joe?" she joked, putting an arm around Quinn's shoulders as she leaned into her roommate, feeling very tired. It was after two and she had class in the morning. She wanted to head back and fall asleep, but she wasn't going to leave until Puck came back and Cooper gave her the go-ahead.

"Fair point. I don't know if I would have wanted to miss out on the wonderful kissing lessons surfer Joe is giving me," she whispered, falling into a fit of giggles right after. Kurt and Joe looked over at the girls, shaking their heads in amusement.

"Ooh, kissing lessons from a Hawaiian. How exotic and sexy. I'm jealous, Q," Rachel teased. "Is he any good?"

Quinn nodded her head enthusiastically. "Oh yes. Very. Out there, they do this thing with their tongue that's just..." She trailed off, shivering slightly as she thought of whatever it was she was attempting to describe. "Well, the point is I am learning many amazing kissing things from teacher Joe," she whispered just as the doors opened and Puck walked in, rubbing the back of his neck. Rachel waved over to him, a smile on her face.

"Is teacher Joe going to become boyfriend Joe, then?" she asked curiously as Puck made his way over to her, leaning back against the stage, the back of his head dropping into Rachel's lap.

"Scram creep," Quinn said, shoving him gently in the shoulder. "This is privileged girl slash roommie talk. No boyfriends or brothers allowed. Go converse with the menfolk or do some manual labor and help Cooper. It's my turn with Rachel now,"she said, sticking her tongue out at Puck.

"Roommate outranks boyfriend. I see how it is," he joked as Rachel placed a kiss on his forehead. Puck got back up, giving her a kiss on her cheek before rubbing her back gently, heading over to where Finn was standing, choosing to hang out with his best friend instead of Rachel's.

"I'm going to need to make up a schedule for you two," Rachel joked, pulling her legs up onto the stage and laid them across Quinn's lap, leaning back and supporting herself with her hands behind her back.

"No, I'll just wait until he's at football to have you all to myself," Quinn laughed. She looked at Rachel, seeming to think to herself for a minute or two. "Do you really think he could be boyfriend material?" she asked, looking over towards Joe, who was caught in a conversation with Kurt and Blaine, completely oblivious to the daggers Finn was staring into his back.

"Aw hell Quinn, I'm not the person to ask for this kind of stuff. I mean, he seems nice but I barely know the guy. I guess you just have to make up that decision on your own if or when the time comes for you to make that decision," she said as Cooper walked back inside with Sam at his side, a huge grin on his face. "Coop, would you hurry the fuck up? Some of us have class tomorrow morning and would at least like to get a few hours of sleep before being forced to dance for hours on end by a sadistic fuck otherwise known as my intro to theater professor."

"Calm yourself, Rachel. You act as though I'm like one of those horror film psychopaths keeping you hostage. Hey Rachel, let's play a game," he taunted in his best imitation of a creepy voice. "Schuester, pull your ass away from the ginger for two seconds and come here. I've got an announcement to make."

Will looked up with an annoyed face though headed over towards where Cooper was standing with Emma, his arm around her shoulders. "What is it, Coop? I've got things to do, places to see..."

"People to be inside of. We get it," Cooper said, rolling his eyes before grinning as Emma's face went red. "Right, well it's a few announcements, actually. I'll keep it short since half of you are only here because you refuse to leave without little miss sunshine," she said, looking down at Rachel. "alright, first things first, old girl is out and Rachel is in. Congrats doll, you're officially our lead singer. Assuming you accept, of course," he added.

Rachel laughed, leaning forward slightly. "Of course I accept. I've never had as much fun as I do singing with you two idiots," she said, looking from him to Will.

"Right. Second piece of news is we now have a drummer. As in, a real drummer who'll be here every week as opposed to hiring some asshole off the street and hoping he can play. You all know Sam Evans, freshman."

Rachel covered her mouth to stop from letting out a shriek. "Sammy!" she giggled, waving her arms over at him. He just shook his head, giving her a grin and a thumbs up.

"And maybe he'll even moonlight as a vocalist every now and again, though I might reserve that job for Will. Did you all see the way all the girl collectively dropped their panties tonight when he took the mic?" Cooper teased, giving Will a cocky grin. Will proceeded to flip him off. "Right, and the final piece of news. And most exciting in my opinion. Two Guys and a Girl officially has their first contract. We'll be playing here every Thursday night and possibly picking up some other nights during the week. So thanks everyone. We couldn't have done this without any of you. Especially our cheerleader and pain in my ass, Miss Rachel Berry."

Everyone who was left in the bar was clapping loudly, both for the band and for Rachel. All Rachel could muster was a small smile before her face turned red and she had to cover it. Puck was at her side, and arm around her shoulder and his lips buried in her hair, kissing the top of her head.

"Get it, Diva!" Kurt yelled, causing everyone to laugh. Despite how the day had gone, Rachel decided it was one of the best days of her life. A great boyfriend, wonderful friends, adoring fans-what more could a girl ask for?

**Thank you all for being so patient. I apologize for this taking so long and am going to try to get these chapters out more regularly (as well as chapters for my other two stories!)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks for the reviews everyone!**

Will and Emma were the first to leave O'Hara's. Soon after Cooper's announcement, Will announced he was tired and needed to head home if he was expected to attend class the next day. Then, to the surprise of no one, he took Emma's hand and the two of them walked out, still talking quietly between the two of them.

"So they're obviously going to bone tonight. Looks like you and I need to find somewhere else t stay tonight," he said, looking over at Blaine.

"You think everyone is going to have sex. I guarantee you he's just walking her to her car and heading home. Besides, by the time we get to the apartment, he'll be dead asleep, whether or not Emma is sharing his bed."

"One, I do not think everyone is going to bang. I said the blonde and the surfer weren't doing the nasty, and I'm obviously right about that."

"You know I'm sitting right her," Quinn called over to him, but Cooper just ignored her.

"And secondly, you weren't living with me when Will first moved here and brought home a different chick every night to nail. I've never gotten o little sleep in my life," he groaned.

"And that's my cue to leave," Rachel said, getting up from her spot on the stage. "All this talk about sex is too much for my virgin ears to handle," she joked. "Text me the plan for next week, Coop," she said, leaning up and giving him a platonic kiss on the cheek before motioning to Kurt, Sam, and Quinn to hurry up and meet her out at the car in a few minutes.

Puck nodded at Finn before jogging after Rachel, slipping his hand into hers as the two of them walked out the doors of O'Hara's and into the parking lot. To the left, Rachel saw Will standing by Emma's car, leaning against the door and laughing at something she had said. Emma seemed in no rush to get home. Rachel steered her and Puck to the right, wanting to give the (hopefully) future couple some privacy, especially if Will really was planning on bringing Emma back to his apartment later.

Once they were close to Rachel's car, Puck lifted her up into his arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek as she laughed. He spun her around for a moment before setting her on the hood of her car, leaning forward slightly so his face was close to hers.

"My girlfriend, the rock star. How did I get so lucky?" he asked.

"Hmm, I don't know. You just have good girl-finding genes. Either that or your sister just has roommate karma," she laughed, placing her hands on either side of his face. She brushed his cheeks with her thumbs, pulling his face down slightly to place a kiss on his forehead.

"Well then thank the lord for the day Quinn was born. Without her, I may have never met the most amazing girl ever," he said quietly, nudging his face forward until his lips were against the side of her neck. He started placing light kisses against her skin, his hands resting on either side of her body, the palms pressed against the cool metal of her car.

"Noah, stop," Rachel whispered, her hands pressed against his chest as his lips proceeded to move across her throat, reaching the exposed skin of her collarbone. "We're in the parking lot of a bar and it's late-er, early morning I mean. This isn't romantic," she murmured, giving a forceful push, forcing him to sigh and pull back. "You look like a kid who just found out Santa Claus isn't real," she teased.

"What? Santa's not real? Next thing I know, you're going to tell me the tooth fairy is just my dad slipping a quarter under my pillow and chucking my tooth in the trash," he joked before joining her on the hood of her car, an arm wrapped around her waist as he pulled her close. "I'm not disappointed," he promised. "I was just seeing how far you were willing to let me go. I know this is all new for you. I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you to sleep with me. I'm not that asshole, Rachel. I promise."

Rachel smiled up at him, pressing the side of her face against his chest as he wrapped his arm tighter around her. "I know you're not, but I still feel like you have all these expectations. You're this big slutty football player who's used to scoring a home run or whatever sports analogy is football while I don't know the proper way to french kiss still. I'm eighteen and the only time I've ever french kissed a boy I managed to bite his tongue," she said, frowning slightly.

Puck just started laughing, shaking his head in amusement. "Oh don't worry, I'll teach how to be an expert," he teased, which caused Rachel to blush slightly before a devious grin crossed her face.

"Does that mean you're going to be my kissing teacher?" she asked innocently, batting her eyes at him.

Puck let out a groan, burying his face in her neck, his lips running over her skin though not leaving any kisses behind. "See, you saying shit like that makes me need to go home and polish my rifle."

"Huh?"

"_Masturbate_, Rachel. That's what you do to me," he teased.

"First off, ew. I really don't need to hear how my boyfriend is so sexually frustrated by me that he has to go home every night and jerk off under his covers to the thought of me as a sexy maid or a sexy nurse or whatever."

"Oh, I don't think about you in some costume. I just think about that first day I met you. You know, when you sang about how you had a nice ass before you mentioned jumping around in your underwear. I'm still waiting for you to invite me to that sleepover," he whispered into her ear, causing Rachel to hit him gently in the chest. He placed a hand over his heart, falling back onto her car. "Abuse!" he cried playfully. "My girlfriend is abusing me. Whatever shall I do?"

Rachel laughed, rolling over so she was sitting on his chest. She placed a hand to his mouth, not even thinking about the position she was in with him currently. "Shut up you big dummy," she laughed, smiling down at him. "I'm not abusive," she laughed before pulling her hand away and placing a soft kiss to his lips.

Of course, that was right when Kurt and Sam walked out with Quinn and Joe trailing behind them. "Oh diva, I thought you were classy. Really, straddling your boyfriend on the hood of your car in the parking lot? What are you doing, trying to pretend to be trailer trash?" Kurt said, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

Rachel rolled her eyes turning her head in Kurt's direction. "Right, like if you had a boyfriend who was hot as sin you wouldn't be doing the exact same thing right now," she said, sliding off Puck and back onto the hood of the car. Behind them, Quinn had her hands on either side of Joe's face and was giving him a gentle kiss goodbye while Joe held her close.

"If I had a boyfriend as hot as yours, I'd never get out of bed," Kurt teased as Rachel climbed off the car, Puck standing up right after her and pulled her close. "Say your goodbyes, but make if fast," Kurt said, unlocking her car and climbing in, Sam following behind. "I want to get home!" he called out to her.

Rachel smiled, turning towards Puck as Quinn walked past them, sticking her tongue out at her brother before climbing into Rachel's car. "So are you going to be able to see me at all tomorrow or are you too busy with football?" she asked s Puck placed his hands on her waist, his lips going to her shoulder even though it was covered by her shirt.

"Sadly no. Sun up to sun down is football and coach is making us head straight home after practice-no drinking, no girls, no nothing. I won't be able to see you until after the game, which means you're just going to have to come to my party after the game," he grinned.

"Great, being surrounded by your drunken friends and teammates. Just how I want to spend my Saturday evening," she joked, rubbing the back of his neck lightly as he nuzzled his nose against her neck.

"Oh please. You're going to love it. Plus it'll be my first chance to see you drunk," he laughed, tightening his arms around her body, pulling her closer to him.

"Oh no. No drinking for me. Kurt's banned me from drinking ever since I got drunk on wine coolers when we were seventeen and I barfed all over his favorite shirt. I still don't think he's forgiven me for that," she laughed.

"No fair. Why does Kurt get to see you drunk and I don't?" Puck asked, pouting slightly before pulling back, poking the tip of her nose playfully.

"All good things come to those who wait," she whispered in his ear flirtatiously before her car let out a loud honk, causing Rachel to jump slightly. "That'll be Kurt. Text me tomorrow when you can and call me before you go to bed. I'll see you Saturday-just look for me and your sister holding the giant sign and cheering as loud as possible for you," she laughed, kissing him a few times on his lips. "Alright, alright. I'm coming!" she yelled, heading towards the car. She turned and waved to Puck once more before climbing into the car, the music blaring as soon as Rachel pulled the door open.

Puck watched as Kurt pulled the car out of the spot, waving to him as he drove past and headed back to campus. Puck turned, heading towards his car where Finn was waiting for him, his arms crossed over his chest and tapping his foot impatiently.

"Saying goodbye to the virgin queen?" he asked, climbing into the car once Puck had unlocked it. "Did she let you hold her hand tonight or is she waiting until she's married for any kind of contact?" he asked sarcastically.

"Lay off man," Puck said, pulling out of the parking lot and heading towards their apartment. "I don't see why you can't get past the fact that she's eighteen and a virgin."

"That's not the issue. She's a virgin-I could care less. Your sister's a virgin and I don't give her shit about it. What I don't get is what you're doing with her. She's not your type at all. You've never stayed with a girl longer than two days if she wouldn't put out. What makes the rock star so special?"

"I don't know. She just is. She's not like-"

"Anyone you've ever met before," Finn finished, rolling his eyes. "I know. You've said that about a thousand times. Still doesn't explain why you haven't ditched her for not putting out."

"Because I just haven't."

"That's not a reason. That's you not answering the question. _Why_, Puck? Why her? What makes her so damn special that you're willing to give yourself blue balls over this chick?"

"Because I love her!" Puck snapped, falling silent a moment later. Finn stared at him, his eyes wide and his mouth open. "I mean, I might be. I don't know."

Finn shook his head. "No, you are. That's why you're acting like such a damn fool all the time. You haven't even been dating her a week. How can you be in love with her?"

"But I've liked her for a month now. From the moment I met her I knew I wanted her, and she shut me down like I was just some nerd who thought he could get with the homecoming queen. And then I got to know her. Just because I wasn't dating her this whole time doesn't mean I wasn't falling in love with her all these weeks. And okay, maybe it's a little fast, but that's not going to change how I feel about her."

"I just...I don't know who you are anymore. What happened to Puck, my best friend? You know, the guy who was the most popular guy in high school. The guy who's never had a serious girlfriend since he realized he was interested in girls when he was fifteen. What happened to him?"

"He decided to grow up so the greatest girl of his life didn't pass him by. If you don't shape up and learn to be a mature member of society, that same girl is going to walk right by you and you won't realize it until it's too late."

Finn stayed quiet the rest of the ride back to the apartment, thinking over what Puck had just said. Maybe he was right. Maybe he did need to get his act together. After all, how was he going to be someone worthy of Quinn when he was a womanizer and Quinn had found a saint like Joe Hart.

* * *

"So, you working tonight?" Cooper asked Blaine as the two of them stood in the kitchen the next morning, yawning loudly as he poured himself another cup of coffee.

"Yeah," Blaine answered, opening the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice, grabbing a semi-clean glass and poured himself a cup. "I was supposed to have off last night and tonight but I switched shifts with San so I could go to the game and the party tomorrow night."

"Party?" Cooper asked, raising an eyebrow as he added a packet of sugar to his mug. "What party?"

"I don't know. Some post-football game party or whatever. Kurt said Rachel's boyfriend is having it at his apartment after the game and invited me since I'm going with all them to the game on Saturday."

"Oh," Cooper said with a nod, studying his younger brother. "So, you and the freshman. What's up with that?"

"Nothing's _up_," Blaine joked. "We're just hanging out-don't let your dirty mind twist that around," he added quickly. "I've spent some time with him and we text like, every day. He's funny, cute, smart, and he knows just how to make me laugh."

"I get the feeling there's a but coming up," Cooper said to his brother, taking a seat at their kitchen table, coffee in hand. Blaine walked over, sitting down beside him as he let out a sigh.

"But he's eighteen. He's a college freshman and I'm almost 22. He's a virgin and I'm not. He's innocent and I don't want to corrupt him. You're the master with relationships and when it's a good idea to just walk away. You tell me what to do."

"Me?" Cooper asked. "No way. This is your life, not mine. You're going to have to make up your own decisions about your life. I can't do that for you. But tell me this: do you like this kid? Don't think about it, just answer me."

Blaine nodded his head. "Yes, I do. It's the first time I've had any kind of feelings for anyone since all the shit that went down with Sebastian."

"Then I don't see what the issue is. You like him, and he obviously likes you. I'm not saying you should ask him out tomorrow, but think about it. Kurt's a nice guy from what I can tell and I doubt he's going to bang some bellhop while he's on vacation. Plus, he's Rachel's best friend, and she's a pretty good judge of character. I can't tell you what the right decision is for you, but you should do what's going to make you happy, whether or not that involves the innocent freshie."

Blaine and Cooper both jerked their heads back as the door to Will's bedroom opened. They both stared, mouths wide open, as Will followed Emma out of the room. She was still dressed in what she'd been wearing at the bar the night before though she looked considerably less put together than she had a few hours earlier when Cooper had seen her last.

Will walked her to the front door of the apartment, his hand resting on her shoulder as he murmured something in her ear. Emma reached up, her hand brushing across his cheek as she smiled at him, leaning in and kissing him softly before walking out the door, turning back to wave to him once before he shut the door and headed back inside the apartment.

Cooper and Blaine were still staring at him in shock, neither of them uttering a word as Will stood at the counter, pouring himself some coffee before taking a seat on the other side of Cooper at the table..

"Looks like Emma isn't little miss prude like I pegged her when I first met her," Cooper finally said, clapping Will on the back.

Will chuckled under his breath, shaking his head slightly. "No she is not. She's a sexpert, in fact."

"I thought you were just going to walk her to her car," Blaine said, a sly grin on his face as he looked at Will.

"Well, that was the plan, but then I was kissing her and next thing I know, we're back here and she's pulling off my shirt before we're even off the elevator. That song was like sex juice or something for her. Not that I'm complaining-she's wild in bed. Plus I got her to agree to come with me to the game tomorrow, so I'll have to see if Rach can get her football player boyfriend to snag me another ticket."

"So it's official then? You two idiots are together and I can stop listening to you bitch and moan about Emma every night?"

"Well, I don't know what we are. We hooked up and she's coming to the football game with me, but I don't know if that means we're going out or not. I guess I'll have to bring that up with her later. All I know is last night I found the woman I'm going to marry."


	25. Chapter 25

"Alright doll, what's the plan now that the BILF is unavailable until after the male demonstration of athletic superiority or whatever the point of a football game is," Kurt said as he relaxed on Rachel's bed. It was close to nine in the evening, Rachel having just gotten out of rehearsals.

Rachel never seemed to look happy after rehearsals, something that was unusual, at least to Kurt. In high school, being in rehearsals for the musical or for glee club was Rachel's favorite part of the day. She loved singing and dancing more than anything else, so for her to walk into her dorm looking miserable after six hours rehearsing for a musical where she was the lead, something had to be really bad.

"What's wrong mama?" Kurt asked as Rachel slipped off her sneakers, pulling the hair tie out of her hair, letting her dark waves fall over her shoulders. She set her bag on the ground by her desk, pulling her computer out and set in on her exceptionally neat desk. Kurt had no idea how she managed to keep things that neat after weeks and weeks of school, but Rachel had always been a freak when it came to that kind of stuff.

"What makes you think something is wrong?" Rachel asked, crawling onto her bed next to Kurt. It was just the two of them alone in the room for now. Quinn had texted Rachel while she was still in rehearsal to tell her she was going out to dinner with Joe and a few of his friends and would be back later. She had no idea where Sam was, though she guessed he was busy if he wasn't here with Kurt. They were just as inseparable as she and Quinn were.

"You look all miserable, and you usually look like you just got fucked after getting out of a grueling rehearsal. What gives?"

"First, how would you know what I look like after I just had sex if I'm still a virgin?" she laughed, grabbing one of her pillows and hit him in the head lightly. "Secondly, I just had a rough time at rehearsal today getting the dance moves down. And thirdly, don't you have something better to be doing instead of waiting in my room for me to get back on a Friday night?" she asked.

"Blaine is working otherwise I'd be attempting to convince him that we should make out. As a matter of fact, I could be at O'Hara's doing that while he works, though I figured it's not a good idea to get his ass fired. So here I am, waiting for my diva best friend to entertain me now that her boyfriend is unavailable for 24 hours."

"Why does the entertainment responsibility fall on me?" she groaned, burying her face into her pillow. "I've always supplied the entertainment for as long as we've known each other. For once you should plan something for us to do and not expect me to have all the ideas."

"Diva, you and I both know that I am beautiful but indecisive as fuck when it comes to thinking of plans. You're much better at that planning shit than I am. My only idea would be to hang at O'Hara's again and try to trick Blaine into making out with me during his break, but I get the feeling you're going to shoot that right down."

"Damn right. I'd like at least a few days break from that place now that I'm officially performing there," she laughed before sitting up. "Look, I feel gross so I need to shower. Noah said he was going to Skype me for a bit before he went to bed tonight, so if you hear him calling me on the laptop, just message him and tell him I'll be right back. _Do not_ answer it," she warned, collecting her robe and flip flops.

"Oh no, he calls and I'm answering. This is supposed to be our night. No boyfriends allowed. I'll tell him to get lost and hang up."

"Do that and I'll shred your signed photo of Lady Gaga without a second thought," Rachel threatened, giving Kurt a dark look before grabbing her shower caddy and headed for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Kurt, alone in Rachel's room once more, flipped on her television, searching for something to watch. Kurt and Rachel actually watched very few TV shows, always having been so busy with after-school activities. In addition, they liked being out and doing things instead of sitting in front of a screen and watching shows mindlessly. Of course, that didn't mean Kurt didn't enjoy partaking in the occasional _Law and Order: SVU _marathon on USA. He found an episode of _Sex and the City_ on and decided to watch that. The adventures of Carrie Bradshaw and friends was always a favorite pastime of Kurt's.

He'd just settled onto Rachel's bed when he heard a ringing coming from her computer. With a sigh, he got up from the bed and walked over to her desk, looking at the screen of her computer.

**Calling...Noah Puckerman.**

Kurt rolled his eyes as he looked at her screen. Rachel was home less than ten minutes and her neanderthal boyfriend was already calling to check up on her. Surprise surprise. Kurt didn't have anything against Puck. In fact, he actually happened to like the guy. The one complaint he had against him was that he was much too into Rachel for the short time they'd been dating. From sun up to sun down, any time he and Rachel weren't together, he was texting her or calling her. Or, as was the case tonight, skyping her.

Rachel had told him to type him a message and tell him she'd call him back, but when was the next time he was going to get a chance to talk to Rachel's boyfriend without her in the room? He guessed never.

Taking a seat in her desk chair, Kurt clicked the answer button on the screen. There was a little bit of audio as Puck started talking as the picture appeared on the screen. He still couldn't see that it was Kurt sitting at the other end instead of his girlfriend, making the whole thing so much better.

"Oh, Kurt," Puck said, both sounding and looking surprised. "I didn't know you and Rachel were hanging out tonight."

"Well, it's more me lying in her room and watching TV while she takes a shower and tries to imagine you on that day when you took your shirt off around her. And what I just said stays a secret or diva will claw my eyes out."

"Oh, so Rachel imagines me shirtless while she's in the shower. Tell me best friend, what other secrets doesn't my girlfriend want me knowing?" Puck laughed.

"Gross. I don't want to event think about what you're doing right now. God only knows what you think about while you're in the shower. My guess is that it involves a mostly or fully naked Rachel pressed up against a naked you."

"Kurt, you keep talking like that and you're going to turn me on," Puck laughed, Kurt watching as the football player leaned back in his desk chair. "I'm not a complete perv, as much as your lovely best friend likes to claim I am. Those thoughts are reserved for when I spend time with Jill."

"Jill?" Kurt asked. "Please don't tell me you're already cheating on my bff. I'd hate to have to tell her I told her so."

"First, nice to know you think so highly of me that I'd cheat on the greatest girl I've ever met. Secondly, I'm sure you spend time with Jill too. Hold up your right hand and look at it." Kurt did as he was told, staring at the back of his hand for a moment before his eyes grew wide and he made a face. Puck laughed loudly. "So I mean I guess I technically cheated on her, though I get the feeling as long as I don't explicitly tell Rachel about it, she'll be okay with it."

"I always wondered why I had an aversion to football players. Now I know why. You're a bunch of vulgar jocks," Kurt said, shaking his head as the door opened and Rachel walked in, her pink robe on and her slippers on her feet. She was carrying her shower tote which held her flip flops. Her dark hair was handing over her shoulders, still soaking wet from her shower.

"Kurt!" she shrieked, looking ready to explode. "I _told_ you not to answer if he called!" She dropped her shower tote on the floor and lunged at him, shoving him away from the computer, taking a seat there instead. Kurt was laughing loudly as Rachel attempted to make herself look as though she hadn't just stepped out of the shower. "Hi baby. How was practice?"

Kurt made a gagging noise in the background as Rachel insisted on going through the entire day with Puck, talking about every little thing she did with him. It finally took Kurt throwing her pillow at her head for her to bid him goodnight and shut down her computer.

"You know, you could be a little more considerate when I'm attempting to talk to my boyfriend. I didn't get to see him all day, and I won't get to spend any time alone with him until maybe a few minutes tomorrow during his party."

"Aw, poor you," Kurt taunted, rolling his eyes as Rachel stripped right in front of him and changed into her pajamas, pulling out her hair dryer as she blow dried her hair. "At least you have a boyfriend while I'm perpetually stuck in the awkward 'friends-but-want-to-be-more' zone with Blaine."

"I don't see why you don't just tell him you'd like to fuck and just get it out there. Worst thing is he turns you down and you move on. The boy likes you Kurt, as much as he doesn't want to admit he has a hard on for barely legal jail bait," Rachel said over the roar of her hair dryer. "Continuing to stalk him isn't going to help anything, even if you think it is. It's just going to make him think you're a creep, which you are," she teased.

"Says the girl who's dating the campus' biggest manwhore. Why should I be taking boy advice from you?"

"Because I'm the only one of us who ha had a boyfriend which makes me an expert. And Quinn hasn't had one, so it's up to me."

"I could try the latina bartender who works with Blaine," he said sarcastically.

"She's more likely to tell you to fuck off while jamming her foot up your ass for hitting on her. That girl is scary. Like, really really scary. Apparently she's friendly with Noah, though I don't see how. No girls like him, yet the scary feminist does."

"Women are crazy, diva. Why do you think I go after the men?"

"Because you're smart, obviously," she laughed, climbing into bed beside him. "I don't know when Quinn's going to be back. She said she was getting food with Joe then heading to a party with him and a few of his friends. Want to take advantage of her absence and watch _Rent_?"

Kurt laughed, rolling onto his stomach. "When have I ever said no to a night full of movie musicals?" he teased, hopping up to put the movie in before climbing back into bed, snuggling with Rachel.

* * *

Rachel woke up the next morning with Kurt still in her bed, the two of them finally having fallen asleep in the middle of _Moulin Rouge_, their third movie of the night. Quinn had walked in slightly before that, dragging a very drunk Joe with her. He was going on about how beautiful Quinn was and how he was going to marry her that night, but Quinn had just rolled her eyes, throwing a blanket and a pillow on the floor for him.

He'd passed out a few minutes later.

Quinn was already up, her eyes looking down at a snoring Joe who was sprawled across their floor. Kurt was still asleep beside Rachel. She looked over at her roommate, smiling a little before whispering, trying not to wake up the two slumbering men in their room.

"Quinnie," Rachel whispered. The blonde looked up, smiling over at her roommate. "What happened last night? I thought you were only going to stay at that party for a little bit."

"Well, Joe got pretty drunk and I wasn't just going to leave him alone. And he couldn't tell me where his apartment or dorm or whatever was, so I drove us here. I figured you wouldn't mind since my brother is here more often than I am since he broke down and got you to go steady with him," she teased.

Rachel stuck her tongue out at her roommate, laughing quietly. "I don't mind. I'm just impressed you forced him to sleep on the floor instead of letting him climb into bed with you."

"Bitch please. I'm not letting my hymen get broken that easily. I like Joe, but I'm not sleeping with someone who isn't my boyfriend. Joe hasn't asked my out yet, so these legs are staying closed around him."

"Seriously? He _still_ hasn't asked you to be his girlfriend? You guys have been hanging out for like, a few weeks or whatever. And I thought you made out with him."

"I have. Multiple times. Joe is teaching me the art of french kissing. He's quite good at it, you know. Those Hawaiians know their shit." She looked down at him again, letting her hand drop off the bed so it was resting on his arm. "I really like him, Rachel. I do. But..." She trailed off, looking over at her roommate once more.

"You still are digging the goofball best friend of your brother," Rachel surmised.

"Yes. Him. I can't get him out of my head, no matter how sweet Joe is. I want to just forget about Finn, but I can't. He's like when a really annoying song gets stuck in your head. It just keeps nagging and nagging at you. That's what he is to me. I don't know what to do about it. I need advice diva."

"Why are you asking me? I don't have experience in this area."

"Yes, but you have experience with me. I mean, you're dating my brother and then there was Jesse-"

"Shh!" Rachel hissed, making sure Kurt was still sleeping before replying to Quinn. "That may be true, but I've never been in your situation. My only advice would be listen to your heart. That's what I did with your brother, and it was worth it. I've never been happier."

"Well, right now my heart is being tugged in two different directions. One the one hand, there's douchey Finn who I've been in love with my whole life yet doesn't seem to realize I'm a woman. On the other hand there's angel Joe who refuses to ask me to be his girlfriend. I don't know who to pick."

"I wish I could tell you what to do, but I can't. All I can say is wait it out and hope your heart makes the decision for you. It'll all be okay, Q. I promise. In the end, things will turn out okay. You're only eighteen. You don't have to tie yourself down yet."

"You did," she pointed out.

"Only so your brother wouldn't have a heart attack every time I breathed in the same direction as another guy," she laughed.

"I call maid of honor at your wedding," Quinn said.

"No can do," Kurt said sleepily, sitting up. "I've had that position locked since I was thirteen. No way you're weaseling it away from me, Fabray."

"Since when have you been awake?" Rachel asked.

"Since I heard the blonde trying to steal my job at your wedding. No way she's getting that. You promised, Rach."

"Oh my god, Noah and I have barely been dating. Why are you arguing about your roles at our wedding?"

"Because it's so obvious you two are going to get married some day. It may not be for awhile, but it'll happen. I have a sense about these things," Quinn claimed. "And I couldn't think of a better girl for my tramp brother o end up with. You make him bearable to be around, something I never thought would happen," she laughed.

"Glad to be of service," Rachel said sarcastically as she climbed out of bed. "Tell the surfer there's an extra ticket for the game if he wants it. I made sure your brother got one for him too. Kurt and I are grabbing breakfast, so just make sure I don't catch you two making out when I get back here," Rachel warned, pulling a protesting Kurt out of the room with her, both of them still in their pajamas.

Quinn laid back in bed, glancing down at Joe once more. She was actually a tad surprised about the things that had been coming out of his mouth last night. Sure there was the sweet stuff, but there were also not so sweet things. Like how he wanted to get her into his bed and rock her world. Or how he was dying to taste her. Things like that made Quinn more nervous and even less eager to lose her virginity.

She was scared to be perfectly honest. She didn't want to be 25 and still a virgin, but she was terrified of having sex. She knew it was going to hurt and that she'd be different afterwards, bu it was more than that. She heard stories about how sex changed a relationship. What if she had sex with Joe and he decided that was all he wanted from her? She didn't know if she could handle that type of rejection.

Joe rolled over on the floor, hitting his head against the leg of her bed. "Fuck," he cursed, his right hand flying to his head as his eyes opened. He took in his surroundings, looking very confused. "Pardon my french, but where the fuck am I?" he asked, looking up at Quinn.

"The floor of my dorm. You couldn't even tell me your own name last night, let alone where you lived. I let you crash on my floor instead of making you sleep in your car," she teased, giving him a hand to help him to his feet. He laid back on her bed, his head on her stomach.

"How fucked up was I?"

"Very. I'm surprised you were still walking by the time I got you here. It didn't take long for you to pass out," she laughed, tapping his nose gently.

"Great. What kind of vulgar shit was I spewing?" he asked.

"Plenty. Is that a habit of yours, saying nasty sexual things when your drunk?"

"Sadly yes. An ex of mine wrote some of them down. I apologize for anything I said to you. It was the booze talking, I promise. I don't really want to jam my cock into every hole you have."

"You didn't say that," Quinn laughed, poking him in the cheek before giving his forehead a kiss. "You said other things, but not that, I promise. I'm just glad your back to being poser Joe today," she teased. "You know, since you're not actually from California so have no right to lecture me about not being a true Californian."

"Oh hush," he laughed, reaching behind him and taking her hand. "You need to get over that. Besides, I would think a Hawaiian would be hotter than a silly California boy," he teased.

"Hmm, they might be. I'm not admitting to anything," she laughed, pushing him off her as she sat up. "Listen punk, you've been invited to UCLA's football game today by my lovely roommate, so say you'll come so I don't look like a horrible friend after she convinced my idiot brother to get you a ticket."

Joe laughed a little. "Well fine. If you insist, Miss Fabray," he teased. "How could I say no to you?"

Quinn smiled at him, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "You can't," she joked.

Joe rolled his eyes at her, pulling her close to him. "I'll keep that in mind for the future."

* * *

Rachel and Quinn spent most of the morning getting ready for the game. It started at three, meaning they needed to get there by one to spend time at the tailgate Cooper had promised to have. He may not have been a student, but he lived for the football games.

Rachel was wearing a shirt with the number 23 on it-her requirement for losing the carnival game to Puck. She had jean shorts on and a pair of flip flops with some jewelry. She had left her hair down, doing a small braid around the crown of her head.

Quinn was in jean shorts and a UCLA shirt with flip flops. She'd pulled the top of her hair back with a clip and looked ready for the game.

Kurt and Sam had joined them, both sporting UCLA gear. "Are you two skanks ready?" Kurt teased.

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "Just get a picture, ass. I want to send one to Noah before he has to go out and play," she said, pulling Quinn close. Both girls blew kisses to the camera as Kurt snapped a picture of them before they headed to Rachel's car, choosing to drive instead of take the campus bus to the stadium.

It was an uneventful drive, Rachel blasting Maroon 5 the whole way while Kurt drove her car. Rachel texted Cooper to find out what lot they were in, and Kurt eventually found where he was parked. He pulled the car up alongside Cooper's truck, putting the car in park. Rachel opened the trunk and climbed out that way while Kurt climbed out of the front seat, gravitating towards where Blaine was standing.

Eventually, the small tailgate grew to a large group, most people Rachel had met so far at least stopping by for a bit. Will and Emma were there the whole time though didn't seem to stray far from each other. Mercedes and Shane stopped by for a few minutes, getting some food and beer before moving on to another tailgate. Rachel even saw Jesse stroll by, but he didn't stop by when he caught sight of her glare.

Eventually, Cooper started packing things up as it became time for them to head into the stadium. Rachel was riding on Sam's back while Joe and Quinn walked in hand-in-hand. Kurt stayed close to Blaine and Cooper followed behind them, chatting with Will while Emma listened to the two of them.

The group found their seats in the lowest section near the 50 yard line. Rachel sat between Sam and Kurt, dancing in her seat as music played in the stadium, the seats filling up as time grew closer and closer to kick off.

Finally, the game started and the players stormed onto the field. While Rachel cheered for every player, she almost deafened Kurt when Puck came out on the field. She'd never been a football fan, but she didn't seem to be able to take her eyes off the field, especially when her boyfriend was on.

It was mostly an uneventful game with UCLA winning over Nevada, but there was one part that made everyone around Rachel smile a little.

Puck had the ball and was running towards the end zone when a girl behind them made some extremely dirty comment concerning what she'd like Puck to do to her. Without missing a beat, Rachel turned around and spoke 8 words to the girl. "Hey Don't talk about my boyfriend that way." A moment later, she was cheering for Puck again and screaming as he scored another touchdown for UCLA.

It made Kurt smile and put an arm around his best friend, kissing the top of her head as they stayed for the whole game, cheering loudly for UCLA. With this win, Kurt couldn't wait to see what Puck's party held in store for them.

**Clothes on my Polyvore account. Sorry for the delay. I should be getting chapters out more frequently now. Thanks for all the favorites/alerts/reviews. You guys all rock!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thanks for all your reviews. I apologize for vanishing for while. I was busy with life and family issues. I have returned and will try to update as much as I can. My other two stories are on a hiatus at the moment because I'm trying to decide what to do next for right now. But hopefully in a few weeks each should have another chapter. I had chapters mostly written but my computer crashed and I lost everything, so sad times. **

**Also, to answer a question, yes Finn will continue as a character. **

The party didn't officially start until around nine that night. After the game, Puck and Finn along with the rest of the team had a mandatory post-game chat with the coach which took up another hour of their time. Then they needed to shower and get things ready before they could have half the school over to celebrate the win.

Puck was positive he wouldn't have gotten anything done if it hadn't been for Rachel and his sister. Quinn, having a key to his apartment in case an emergency arose where she needed to get in and he wasn't there, had let her and Rachel along with their giant group of friends, into his and Finn's place.

Instead of starting the party on their own like they could have, the two girls with the help of their gay friends, virgin friends, and older friends, helped set the entire apartment up. Cooper and Will even ran out to the liquor store for them, supplying the apartment with more alcohol to meet the needs of the many people who were bound to show up.

Rachel, ever the party planner, had even crafted some football-themed decorations with the help of Kurt while Cooper gave them pointers so they actually were football decorations and not baseball or hockey ones.

Puck walked into his apartment, expecting to have to set up everything on his own with minimal help from his best friend, but instead found Rachel standing on his kitchen table, directing everyone. The place looked great and Rachel had already started some music playing. Granted, it was shitty pop music that made Puck want to slice his ears off, but it was music nonetheless.

"Baby!" Rachel laughed as she turned around and saw Puck standing in the doorway with Finn right behind him. "There's my champion boyfriend. You played great! At least I think you did. Cooper said you did, and he seems more knowledgeable about the game than me." Rachel hopped down from the table, taking a few large steps in his direction until she was standing right in front of him, her face looking up at his.

"What is all this?" he asked, looking around the place. He knew everyone would start arriving soon, having all gotten cleaned up from the football game by now. He'd been expecting to run around and set everything up yet here it was, all done for him.

It was official. He had the best girlfriend on the face of the planet. He was never letting her go.

"Your party, dummy. Your sister and I were thinking that there was no way you were going to have a chance to make sure there was food and booze for everyone in addition to showering so you didn't smell like a foot, so we used her key and cleaned the place up for you. Doesn't it look great? Kurt and I made the decorations under Cooper's guidance to make sure we didn't fuck anything up."

Puck smiled, putting an arm around Rachel's shoulder and placing a kiss on her forehead. "They look great."

Rachel scrunched up her face, pushing him away slightly. "You know I like you, but you reek. Shower. Now," she ordered, laughing as she pushed him towards his room, following behind him with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

Once the door had closed and all that could be heard was the muffled sounds of Rachel's laugh, Quinn turned to Kurt, pouring a bag of chips into an empty bowl. "I give it another month max before she finally gives in and does the nasty with my brother."

"What are you, five?" Kurt teased before shaking his head. "No way. She's waiting at least until next semester until she decides to sleep with him. Rachel's not one to hold onto her most precious gift for so long and just give it up to the first boy she dates in college after a few weeks."

"Good point. Plus, if she didn't give it up to that tool after five months, she's not sleeping with my brother until she's positive he's not an ass."

"What are you talking about? What tool?" Kurt asked.

Quinn mentally cursed. She'd promised Rachel she wouldn't say anything about the ass in high school to Kurt. Thank god she hadn't used his name or Kurt would be flipping a shit right now. "Nothing. Wrong Rachel. I was thinking about my friend from home," she lied smoothly. "But you're right. Rachel doesn't seem like the type to just bang the first guy who shows an interest in her."

"Well, he's not the first one to show interest in her, but he's the first one she took seriously. Like there was this senior when we were sophomores who was always hanging around her. Kind of creeped me out to be honest. I mean, she was sixteen and he was almost in college. Anyways, she finally broke down and decided to go to the movies with him, though the jerk was a little too pushy with her and she swore she'd never see him again. I mean, what kind of ass tries to get into a girl's pants ten minutes into their first date?"

"What was his name. The ass, I mean?" Quinn asked.

"Jesse St. James. He went to a different school as us. They were our rivals, which is why I was so stunned Rachel even went to the movies with him in the first place."

"Were you mad she went with him?" Quinn asked curious, wondering what Kurt's impression of the only other guy Rachel had dated was.

"No. I mean, I wanted her to have a real date, not the stupid ass ones I took her on when I was trying to pretend I wanted her pussy, you know? I mean, I always thought Jesse was a douche, but it's not like I was going to tell her the first guy who asked her out was a complete and total jerk. I was right in the end, but it doesn't matter. It was one date and she's with your brother now, so it all worked out in the end."

"I guess so," Quinn said, turning her back to Kurt as she straightened a row of cups. She hadn't known Kurt and Rachel for long, but she could tell that if Kurt ever did find out the truth about Rachel and Jesse, Rachel would be lucky if he ever spoke to her again. He seemed so willing to believe what Rachel had told him, not even doubting it once. If he ever discovered she lied to him, well Quinn didn't want to be there for that fight.

Finn had gone to take a shower as well in the apartment's second bathroom while Puck and Rachel were still in his room. A few people had already come in, all of them football players. Brody, the one who had been after Rachel to go out with him shortly following her falling-out with Puck, was the first one there. Quinn supposed he didn't want to miss a minute around Rachel.

"Look, your biffle's stalker is here," Quinn muttered to Kurt as Brody started looking around the room, loudly complaining about the music playing. Rachel and Quinn had created a top 40 channel on Pandora and a Rihanna song that Quinn personally liked was playing, so she took further offense to Brody's presence besides the fact that he was underhandedly trying to break up her roommate and her brother.

Behind him were a few more football players, each of them with a girl on their arm. Brody seemed to be the only one who came alone, apparently hoping Rachel would be more receptive to his advances at a party thrown by her quarterback boyfriend. Quinn was considering telling him how much of a dumbass he was.

Instead, she was distracted by Joe who came over to her, a football decoration taped to his forehead. "What do you think?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I think you look like a dork," she teased, standing on her toes and giving him a quick kiss. She had no idea where they stood or what they were, but she truly did enjoy being with him, even if her heart was also pulling her in the direction of Finn.

The two boys were both so different, but they'd both managed to capture her heart. Finn was everything she had ever wanted for her whole life, and Joe was perfection wrapped up in a very pretty package. She could imagine a life with Joe, but the same could be said for Finn. She didn't know what to do, who to choose. She wanted to follow her heat like Rachel suggested, but that was impossible to do when two faces were tattooed on her heart.

She doubted if her bff up in the sky was going to help her out on this one. No, Quinn was going to have to figure this out all on her own.

Rachel and Puck emerged shortly after, Rachel having changed from the simple shirt she'd been wearing earlier to one of Puck's old jerseys. If there was ever a prime example of proving ownership, this was it. Puck was proclaiming to every guy who showed up tonight that Rachel was his and if they got close to her, he'd cut their balls off.

Rachel didn't seem to mind, either. Her hand was tightly clasped in Puck's as she walked out of his room, her hips already swaying to the music. More and more people had arrived by now, the small apartment packed with bodies. Most were drinking and dancing, Rachel among the dancing crowd. She's pulled Puck to the dance floor, her ass pressed against the front of his jeans.

Quinn covered her mouth to suppress a laugh as she caught sight of her brother's face.

He seemed to not be able to decide what to do. On one hand he wanted to pull Rachel closer to him but on the other he seemed to be worrying that if he did that, she'd push him away. That left Puck standing in the awkward position where he attempted to sway to the music while making as little contact with Rachel as possible.

Eventually, Rachel seemed to get fed up with him, Reaching behind her, she put his hands on her waist, looking up at him as she gave him a nod. Puck leaned down closer to her, his face pressed against her neck as his body moved along with hers to the music. Some upbeat David Guetta song was playing and Puck had no idea to the words, but it didn't seem to matter. What mattered was that Rachel was right there, pressed against him as the two of them danced to the music.

Brody was lurking by the table with all the alcohol, pouring himself another drink as he unhappily watched Puck and Rachel dancing. Quinn, a cup of vodka in her hand, walked up to him, looking thoroughly annoyed. "Okay, you're creeping me out. Either stop staring at my roommate and brother or get out."

"Beat it, baby Puckerman. I don't have the patience to deal with your shit right now."

"I'm serious. It's fucked up the way you're always staring at her. She said no the ten times you asked her out while she and my brother were on the outs. What makes you think she's all of a sudden going to change her mind and dump my brother for you? You're an ass, Weston. I've heard the stories about you, both from my brother and your former playthings that are littered throughout the school. You have some nerve calling my brother a slut."

"Unless you're offering yourself as my new plaything, leave me alone in my misery and run off to play hopscotch with the surfer or whatever it is you virgins do with guys you're not fucking."

"You're a rude ass, I hope you know," Quinn huffed. "I swear I will tell my brother you're being a dick and just propositioned me if you're not gone in ten minutes. You're being a douche and a bore. Just leave," she huffed before turning and walking away from him, heading over to Joe who was organizing a game of beer pong.

"Queen bee!" he laughed as he saw Quinn. He pulled her close, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "Come be my partner. Cooper and Will are claiming they could beat me with one hand tied behind their backs. I need a real woman to put these boys in their places." Quinn laughed, putting an arm around his waist and nodded her head, allowing herself to be drawn into the game, forgetting all about Rachel and her brother.

Rachel had turned towards Puck, continuing to dance close to him. The two of them really hadn't kissed much. A few kisses here and there, but certainly no making out. Rachel hadn't had anything to drink at all, having been with Puck the entire time. She glanced up to see him smiling and waving to someone. Curious, Rachel turned her head towards the door. To her horror, she watched Jesse walk in and wave to her boyfriend like they were old friends.

She stopped her movements, staring up at Puck with anger on her face. "What the hell is he doing here? And what are you doing waving to him like you played fucking little league together?"

"It's cool. He came up to me the other night at O'Hara's and cleared the air. He's a cool dude when you get a chance to know him. I invited him here. I thought it'd be a great way for us all to start over. You know, a clean slate or whatever."

"You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about!" Rachel practically shouted. "You have no idea what that jerk did to me, how screwed up he made me. I can't believe you did this to me, Noah. This is even worse than that night with Marley!" She felt the tears welling up in her eyes, turning away from him in an attempt to go find Kurt.

Puck grabbed her arm, wanting to talk everything over. Rachel meant everything to him. He wasn't about to let it all crash and burn over something as stupid as this. "Rachel, just listen-"

"No!" she shouted, pulling her arm away from him. Everyone had stopped talking, looking at the two of them. Somehow, Rachel's yells were even louder than the music that was blaring from the speakers. "Just leave me alone, Noah. I need to think this over. I thought I could trust you, and you yet again proved your sister right." She searched, finding Kurt in the crowd. She headed over to him, taking his arm. "Is it just me or does this party suck all of a sudden?" she asked, pulling him away from Blaine.

Kurt glanced back, giving Blaine a shrug as he allowed Rachel to lead him to the door. "You and the boyfriend fighting?" he asked. "What happened?"

"Not important. What is important is getting the hell out of here. I'm too mad to drive right now-can you drive me back to the dorm? You can come back if you want to. I just need to get out of here."

Of course, nothing Rachel wanted seemed to be happening that night. Jesse always seemed to find Rachel at the worst moments. He stopped in front of her, blocking her path to the door.

"Leaving so soon, Berry?" he asked, a smirk planted firmly on his face. Watching Rachel's life fall apart had always been a favorite form of entertainment for him.

"Beat it, Jesse. I don't have time to deal with your shit right now."

Kurt looked stunned to see Jesse standing right there. "Rach? What's he doing here? I thought he was in New York."

"Ah, plans change," Jesse said, addressing Kurt. "California is the place to be, and tonight this party is the place to be. Do you have a problem with that, lady?"

"Hey, don't talk to Kurt like that," Rachel snapped. "Just because you're older than us doesn't mean you can bully him around and call him names."

Jesse rolled his eyes at her. "Right, I forgot. Defending the queer is something you always do. You never let me call him one name our five months together."

The reaction was instantaneous. Rachel's hand reached up and connected with Jesse's face, leaving a red mark behind. Kurt pulled his arm away from Rachel, looking stunned. Their eyes connected for a moment before he shook his head, walking out of the apartment without a word.

"What have you done?" Rachel cried, pushing past Jesse, running out of the apartment. "Kurt, wait!" she shouted before the door closed behind them.

Everyone was staring, the room having fallen silent with the exception of the music. "Alright people, quit your gawking," Joe said, breaking the silence. "There's beer pong to be played. Who's ready to see me and my lady kick these two rock star's asses?" That seemed to catch everyone's attention and they all returned to what they were doing before. Well, all except Blaine and Puck who were staring at the door, trying to decide if they should go after the two freshmen who were apparently having the biggest fight of their lives.

Rachel ran to catch up with Kurt, finally grabbing his arm as they were outside the apartment building. "Kurt, wait!" she yelled, getting him to stop where he was. He looked furious. He seemed to be livid and hurt at the same time, and Rachel knew exactly why he looked that way. It was because of her. "Please, Just listen to me. I'm sorry!"

"When?" he demanded. "When were you planning to tell me about you and St. James?"

"I don't know!" she shouted, tears starting to fall down her face. "I didn't know how to tell you! You're my best friend, but I knew you'd never understand if I told you now since I hid it from you when we were sophomores."

"Wait, so you _lied_ to me when you told me he tried to feel you up on your first date?"

"That wasn't exactly what happened," Rachel admitted. "I knew you wouldn't approve, so I didn't tell you. I was scared of losing you as my best friend, Kurt!"

"So instead, you lied to me all these years. Tell me this: if Jesse hadn't spilled your secret tonight, would you ever have told me about the two of you?" Rachel stayed silent, not knowing what to say. "That's a no to me," he said. "How can I ever trust you again? If you lied about this, what else have you lied to me about?"

"Nothing! I swear I never lied about anything else!" Rachel promised.

"See, I don't know if I can believe you. I always thought I could tell when you were lying, but I apparently can't since you were able to lie about this since we were sixteen. I never thought you'd do something like this to me, Rachel. This is the ultimate betrayal. I don't know if I can ever forgive you for this." He let out a sigh, wiping his left eye with his hand. "You're right, this party does suck. I want to go home."

"Here, I'll give you a ride," she said softly.

"No. I don't want to see you. I don't want to speak to you. Right now, I don't want to have anything to do with you, Rachel. I'll get Blaine to give me a ride home. Just...leave me the hell alone. You've done enough as it is." Rachel sat on the front steps of Puck's apartment building while she watched Kurt text Blaine. It took a few minutes, but the bartender walked out and found the two of them there. Rachel was sobbing quietly while Kurt looked like he wanted to hurt someone.

"Is everything okay?" Blaine asked, looking between the two of them.

"Peachy. Can you give me a ride back? I'm over this lame ass party." Blaine nodded and the two of them walked to his car, Kurt not even giving Rachel a glance back. Rachel watched the two of them climb into Blaine's car and drive away, burying her face in her hands.

She heard the door open behind her and footsteps approach her. Someone sat down beside her and put their arm around her shoulders. She leaned in, knowing exactly who it was. "You okay?"

Rachel shook her head, starting to cry harder.

"Want me to get Puck?" Sam asked, rubbing Rachel's back soothingly. "He was looking worried about you up there when you can out. He's kind of sitting in the corner alone not knowing what to do. Quinn's worried too, but Joe won't let her leave their game. I think he's trying to distract her."

Rachel kept her head on Sam's shoulder as she cried. "This is all my fault. If I had just told him the truth back then, this wouldn't be happening now. I was scared to tell him. I knew this would happen, and I was naive enough to think I could keep this hidden forever."

Sam gave her a weak smile though she didn't see it. "Hey, he'll get over it. It might take him a little, but this will all blow over. You two are best friends. He'll realize you're the most important person and you two will make up. Just give it time."

Rachel shook her head, getting a few streaks of mascara on Sam's shirt. "You didn't hear him. He never wants to see me again. He made it very clear that what I did was unforgivable. I don't know what I'm going to do. Kurt's the most important person in my life. I don't know if I can get by without him by my side, supporting everything I do."

"Everything is going to be okay, Rachel. You just have to keep that in the back of your mind. Even if he ignores you when you pass by him in the hall, just remember that deep down, he loves you. We're roommates. When we're not talking about guy stuff, we're talking about you. He's never said a truly bad thing about you. Sure he complains about some things you do, but I can tell by the way he talks about you that you're the love of his life. Not like a romantic love. You're his family. You mean the world to him. He's not going to throw years of friendship away over a silly fight. I'll do my best to make him see reason, but don't get discouraged. It'll take time." He kissed her forehead. "And when you need to talk, I'll be there waiting. I promise. I may be his roommate, but I'm also your friend. I'm not taking sides in this. I'm still your friend, no matter what." He looked back before nodding. "Puck's here. Why don't you let him drive you home. I'll keep Quinn company." He got up, giving Rachel one last hug before heading inside.

"Look, I know I'm the last person you want to see right now," Puck started as he sat down beside Rachel. She didn't let him finish, instead pressing her lips against his, pulling him close to her. She was crying as she kissed him, but he was what she needed right now.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm sorry for everything. I'm a horrible person. I don't know what you're doing here with me. You deserve so much better."

Puck sighed, embracing her tightly. "Listen to me, pretty lady. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I don't care what Kurt said out here. I don't care what you did. All I care about is you, silly girl. Let's go back to your dorm. I'll get you into bed. You need to sleep."

Rachel didn't bother protesting. Instead, she allowed Puck to pull her to her feet and lead her to her car. Rachel handed him her keys and sat in the front seat. He told her he just needed to run upstairs quickly and that he'd be right back. He headed over to Finn, whispering something in his ear before giving him a wave and heading back to Rachel's car.

The two drove to her dorm in silence, not saying a word. The only sound in the car was Rachel sniffling as she attempted to stop her tears. Puck helped her out of the car and headed inside her building. He waved to the security guard who knew him. the guard gave him a nod, noticing Rachel's appearance. he didn't bothering checking her ID or making Puck sign in.

Puck led Rachel to her room, helping her onto her bed. "Do you want me to get your pajamas? Or I can leave if you want me to," he said, glancing over at the door.

"No," Rachel said softly. "Tonight, I just want you to stay here with me. I don't want to be alone right now. I'm not promising sex right now, but I just want you to be here with me, Noah," she said, pulling the blankets on her bed down. Puck smiled, slipping his shoes off before flicking the light switch off.

"As you wish," he said, sliding into bed beside her.


	27. Chapter 27

**AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! And a big shout out to all my readers. You all are awesome and mean the world to me. You guys keep this story going and you all rock! I hope you enjoy this chapter. It kind of makes up for all the awfulness last time.**

Finn was busy chatting up some sophomore and making some major progress when Puck came over to him and whispered in his ear that he was taking Rachel back to her dorm so Quinn would be staying in their apartment tonight. Before Finn even had a chance to protest, Puck had vanished. Finn should have been surprised that Puck was, once again, leaving him in charge of Quinn. All their lives that's what he had done.

If he was being honest with himself, he didn't really mind it. Finn had never had any siblings. It had been him and his mom for as long as he could remember. His dad had died when Finn was just three in a car accident. His mom didn't like talking about his father, so Finn learned at a young age not to bring him up and to just suffice with the picture that he had.

Carole Hudson had never remarried. She'd had a few boyfriends, but nothing serious. Finn had always been her number one priority, so any other men in her life had come second to her son, something they always seemed to get tired of. Carole didn't care much, however. She didn't need a husband to be happy.

Of course, because Finn's father had died so young, Finn had grown up without a real male role model in his life. When he and Puck had met in the second grade, Finn was the tall kid who never spoke to anyone. He never played on the playground with the other boys. Instead, he kept to himself, sitting on the swings alone while everyone seemed to be playing around him.

Puck, meanwhile, had assumed the role of class bully. No one went against what he said. If he wanted the swing you were on, then you got up and moved without another word. Finn didn't understand why Puck could do whatever he wanted just because he happened to be bigger than most of the other kids in the class. Puck and Finn weren't friends. Finn couldn't stand the bully. He stayed clear of him, but he also wasn't willing to just give into him.

That was how the two became friends. Puck wanted the ball Finn was playing with. Finn refused, and the two ended up in a fight that resulted in both of them being suspended for two days. When they returned to school, they were inseparable.

Acquiring Puck as a best friend meant Finn also got a little sister in the form of Quinn Fabray. He'd never thought much of her. She followed Finn around like he was some sort of god which he loved. She seemed to like him better than her own brother, which was the reason he started to get to know her when he was in middle school. He was just starting to notice girls at that time, but Quinn was still just a kid then. He still regarded her as just his sister.

As he got older, however, he started fighting with himself, and all of his fights were about Quinn.

On one hand, he loved being her brother. In that role, he belonged to a real family. He loved his mom, but it was different being at the Puckerman-Fabray house than at his own. He wasn't willing to jeopardize that by fooling around with Quinn. On the other hand, she had finished going through puberty and had turned into a very beautiful girl. He could see the ways all the guys-his friends-at school looked at her.

So instead of making a move on her, Finn spent all of his high school years guarding Quinn's innocence. He told himself that it was just because he was protecting her from the guys in their school. However, deep down, he knew what he was doing. He couldn't stand to see her go around with some guy who wasn't him, so he prevented that from ever happening. That way, when Finn got his shit together, she'd be there waiting for him.

Of course, Finn was now a junior in college and still didn't have his act together. Meanwhile, Joe Hart had snuck in and swept Quinn off her feet like a real life Disney prince. He seemed to be everything Quinn wanted in a guy, and he wasn't a douchebag like Finn tended to be. He hadn't made out with some girl in a bar while Quinn was three feet away. He hadn't done a lot of the shit Finn had done over the years. And while Finn had done a great job of keeping everyone with a penis away from Quinn before, he now had to watch Quinn fall in love with Joe.

It was killing him inside.

He glanced over at Quinn. She had a red solo cup in her left hand and was laughing. Her back was pressed against Joe's chest and he had wrapped an arm around her front, holding her close to him. She was swaying slightly to the music while Cooper and Will took their turn in beer pong.

All Finn wanted to do was drink every ounce of alcohol in the apartment so he wouldn't have to watch Quinn laughing and having fun with Joe. He had no real reason to dislike him. Joe was the guy every brother would want for his sister. However, Finn wasn't really Quinn's brother. He'd played the part all these years, but in the end, he was just her brother's friend who was starting to come to terms with the fact that he was in love with his best friend's little sister.

There was nothing more cliche than that. It was the plot of virtually every book or movie that had any element of romance in it. It was the ultimate betrayal, but he couldn't help it. At some point over the years, Finn had fallen for Quinn, and now it was too late. He always knew she'd date a guy or two, but he always figured they'd treat her wrong and she'd find her way back to Finn. He never expected someone like Joe Hart to come into the mix.

Joe was going to mess up everything, and there was nothing Finn could do about it except watch. He needed another drink, and he needed one now. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

After Rachel had offered the bed to him, Puck climbed in beside her without a word. He'd left his shoes by her door and crawled onto her mattress. It was a twin and not big enough for the two of them to share, but if he pulled her close to him, there was enough space for both of them.

Rachel had been crying since Puck had found her outside. He still hadn't gotten out of her what Kurt had said to her after the two had disappeared, but from what she had said, he gathered that the two weren't speaking. Well, Kurt wasn't speaking to her.

Puck didn't like seeing someone he loved upset. He wanted to make everything better for Rachel, but he didn't know how. Instead, he kept his arms around her, holding her against his chest as she kept crying. It was the most he could do. He just wanted to show her he was here, that he wasn't going anywhere. He knew this was partially his fault. If he hadn't invited Jesse, this wouldn't have happened. Honestly, he'd just wanted to bury the hatchet, to try and get Jesse and Rachel to get along plus to show Jesse that Rachel was off the market and for him to quit giving her such a hard time during rehearsals. He hadn't thought about Kurt.

He should have, but he hadn't. And now his girlfriend's best friend wasn't speaking to her and she couldn't stop crying. He was the world's worst boyfriend ever. Puck rubbed Rachel's back, placing a kiss on the top of her head as she took a deep breath before letting out another sob.

"Hey pretty lady, stop your tears," he whispered in the dark. "I don't like seeing you like this. Ever since I met you, you're always smiling or laughing with the exception of the one night we won't speak of," he said. "So you screwed up and your best friend was a jerk to you. It doesn't mean your life is over or the world is ending. You still have so many people who care about you and want you in their lives.

"So I just shouldn't care that my best friend has cut me out of his life?" she asked tearfully. "I shouldn't care that Kurt hates me? Is that what you're saying, Noah?"

Puck sighed, pulling her closer. "No, of course not. I'm just saying you should remember that even if Kurt is acting like this, you still have so many other people around who care about you, and we're not going to desert you just because you and Kurt are in a fight. Especially not me."

Rachel stayed silent, her left hand resting atop Puck's chest as his hands ran up and down her back. His face had found it's way into her hair and he was breathing slowly. The whole moment was perfect except for the fact that Rachel was crying. She knew this was not how Puck had imagined their first night together alone in her dorm room.

"I'm sorry for being such a shitty boyfriend," Puck said quietly as he pulled her a little closer. "I never say or do the right thing. Your best friend isn't talking to you and it's all my fault. God, why do you even keep me around?" he asked.

Rachel looked up, putting a finger to his lips to silence him. "Stop it. You are not a bad boyfriend. You're the best. You're here instead of at the raging party taking place in your apartment. You're putting up with a sexually frustrating girlfriend and never complain. You are the sweetest, kindest, most amazing boy I've ever met. And right now I don't want you to keep trying to make me feel better by saying how things are going to turn out and everyone still loves me."

"What do you want?" he asked, his face close to hers.

"I want you to kiss me. I want you to kiss me and _really_ kiss me. Not the chaste shit we've been doing since you asked me out. But first I want you to let me put on some white girl music so I don't have to listen to the sound of us kissing all night," she whispered.

Puck nodded his head and loosened his arms, letting Rachel out of his grip. She climbed over him, flipping on her radio. A gentle melody filled the room and Rachel turned up the volume. Rachel bobbed her head to the music as she pulled her clothes off and pulled a giant tee shirt over her head, climbing back into bed with him. A Britney Spears song was just ending and the radio host was mentioning the songs that were coming up the next hour before Mariah Carey started playing.

Puck welcomed his girlfriend into his arms, pulling her close to his chest once more. Even under the cover of darkness, Puck could see the light blush coloring her cheeks. He smiled, kissing her forehead once. "You know you're the most amazing girl I've ever met." His lips were on hers the next moment, ending all conversation in the room.

Puck eased her into the mattress, her small body beneath his muscular one. He knew he had to take this slow with Rachel. Any other girl, he'd already be under her shirt, but Rachel was different. This was the first time she was letting him do anything more than give her a small peck and he wasn't going to screw it up.

It hadn't escaped his mind that things were different here than they were every other time they'd been together. It was late at night. They were in Rachel's bed in the dark. And they were totally and completely alone without the risk of his sister walking in on them any moment.

All Puck wanted was to get a glimpse of her chest. He'd count himself lucky if that happened, but he would also be more than happy to just kiss her all night.

Rachel's hands had gone up to his face, a palm on either of his cheeks. She'd pulled his face closer while her legs were around his waist, pulling his body closer to hers. Puck would be lying if he said the blood in his body wasn't rushing south, but he tried to control himself. He wasn't going to freak her out if he happened to get excited by them just kissing.

To prevent that, Puck flipped them over so he was lying on her mattress and Rachel was seated on his chest, their lips never kept his hands firmly planted on her waist, his tongue remaining in his mouth unless she gave him an indication that she was okay with that. So far no dice, but the kissing was pretty awesome.

Rachel pulled away as the song changed and a One Republic song came on. She started swaying slightly to the music on top of him, smiling down at him. _"But with you, I feel again_," she sang in a whisper before her lips were back on his. She took Puck's hands and moved them from her waist, placing them on her chest. "It's okay," she said quietly. "I want you to. I trust you, Noah. I don't want Jesse's hands to be the only one's to have touched me there. I want someone who's good and kind and who I love." She fell silent, pulling away and covering her face.

"What's wrong? Why are you hiding the face of the girl I love?"

Rachel peeked an eye out and looked down at him. "You what?"

"I love you, Rachel. You don't have to be embarrassed you said it." Rachel grinned down at him. In one moment, her shirt was off and her body was pressed against Puck's, her lips against his. He pulled her close, his hands on her chest as they kissed. His tongue found hers and he could tell she was okay with it.

Puck rolled her over, the two of them becoming tangled in her blankets. After awhile, Rachel pulled away and was laughing slightly. "Your sister is going to kill me tomorrow. She's going to walk in and find us in my bed and my shirt on the floor."

"Hey Rach?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know you talking about my sister in the middle of us making out is kind of a turn off."

"Sorry. How about I shut up and let you feel my boobs for a bit longer before we fall asleep."

"As long as that's what you want."

"Noah, you're my boyfriend. And, as you know now, I love you. Letting you feel my chest doesn't make me uncomfortable. It's the furthest I'm willing to go, but I like it. Almost as much as I like you. Now shut up, put your hands on my boobs, and kiss me more."

Puck smiled in the darkness, her comforter over their heads. "As you wish, my love," he said, obliging her every command.

* * *

"Joey, put me down!" Quinn laughed as Joe ran around the main room of the apartment with Quinn on his back. He was pretty drunk at this point but Quinn was only slightly buzzed. "You need to call Chris or something. There's no way I'm letting you drive me back to the dorms or yourself home in this state."

"No need to worry about that, princess," Finn said, coming up beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders. "You and me are going to hit the down for awhile. I'll call a cab for the boy toy to make sure he gets home in one piece."

Most of the other guests had left already, only a few others still remaining in the apartment.

"Must we? I'm slightly drunk and I don't know if us hitting the town in the best idea."

"Yes, we must. You and I haven't properly hung out since you showed up at this school and took it over by storm with your twin roommate." Quinn laughed, hitting him slightly in the chest. "Come on, let me call Joe a cab and then you and I will put on a movie and make fun of all the bad acting, just like old times."

Quinn smiled at Finn as he took care of Joe, helping him out of the apartment and into a cab that was waiting for him. Everyone else was finding their way out of the place, leaving Quinn alone in the living room. She walked over, taking a seat on the floor and looked through the boys' DVD collection, picking out a truly bad movie that would be easy to make fun of.

She thought Finn asking her to hang out was a little weird. They hadn't really spent any time together since they were at school. Every time she got near him, Finn seemed to find something else to do, though she was glad they were spending this time together. Joe may have been a great kisser and a lot of fun, but Finn still owned her heart. A love like that didn't just vanish over night.

The music in the apartment was still playing, so Quinn started dancing around while she waited for Finn to come back. Her hair swung in her face and she rotated her hips to the music.

Finn walked in, finding Quinn dancing around. He leaned against the door frame as he watched her. One Republic's _Feel Again_ was playing and he couldn't help but think about the lyrics. Some guy leaves a girl and tries to replace her but he can't. It takes him so long to realize that original girl was the one for him. It had taken him until his junior year to realize Quinn really was the right girl for him. He could try to fill that void with random girls but the heart wants what it wants.

_It's been a long time coming since I've seen your face_  
_I've been everywhere and back trying to replace _  
_Everything that I've had till my feet went numb_  
_Praying like a fool that's been on the run_  
_Heart still beating but it's not working_  
_It's like a million dollar phone that you just can't ring_  
_I reach out trying to love but I feel nothing_  
_Yeah, my heart is numb_

The only problem was Puck. He would never forgive Finn if he hooked up with his sister.

"You know, you're adorable when you dance. Bad, but adorable," he teased, jumping over next to her and took her hands, twirling her around as he joined her in dancing.

"Right, like you're any better, Frankenteen," she laughed, rolling her head back as she spun close to him, pressing her ass against the front of his jeans for a moment before she spun away again.

Finn did everything in his power to suppress the groan that threatened to escape his lips. Quinn was so innocent and sweet. She didn't realize what she did to guys like him with a simple move like that.

He reached down, scooping her into his arms and spun her around bridal style. Quinn was laughing, leaning back with her arms extended. She was squirming in his arms slightly as she still attempted to move her body to the music.

_But with you, I feel again_  
_Yeah with you, I can feel again, yeah_

_(Woo hoo) I'm feeling better since you know me_  
_I was a lonely soul but that's the old me_

Finn set her down again and took her hands, moving his arms with her as they danced. She was laughing and jumping up and down while singing as they danced. She couldn't remember a time she had ever danced with Finn. He always said he didn't dance (and for good reason-the boy was terrible) and even her most annoying whine couldn't persuade him.

Yet here he was, dancing around with Quinn in his apartment. She guessed part of it was from the alcohol and part was because no one was here to see them and make fun of his lack of dancing abilities besides Quinn.

_It's been a long time coming since I've seen your face_  
_I've been everywhere and back trying to replace _  
_Everything that I broke till my feet went numb_  
_Praying like a fool who just shot a gun_  
_Heart still beating but it's not working_  
_It's like a hundred thousand voices that just can't sing_  
_I reached out trying to love but I feel nothing_  
_Oh my heart is numb_

Quinn kissed Finn on the cheek before jumping onto his couch, jumping up and down as she screamed the words out, pumping her hands into the air. Her blonde hair kept swinging into her face, though she didn't seem to mind at all.

Finn stopped his movements and looked up at her, unable to pull his eyes away from her. He didn't know if it was just the booze that was making him feel this way, but he didn't think so. He was feeling this way because he loved Quinn. She was beautiful and perfect and he was in love with her.

_But with you, I feel again_  
_And with you, I can feel again_

_But with you (I'm feeling better since you know me)_  
_I feel again (I was a lonely soul but that's the old me)_  
_Yeah with you (I'm feeling better since you know me)_  
_I can feel again (I was a lonely soul)_

_Woo hoo (Woo hoo)_

"Finn, dance with me!" Quinn shrieked before jumping off the couch and into his arms. Finn laughed as he caught her, swinging her around the room like she weighed nothing.

Quinn wrapped her legs around Finn's waist (an innocent action in her mind) and her hands clasped behind his neck. Finn started spinning them around the room. She arched her back and let go of him with her hands, leaning back and laughing as she was spun around.

_(I'm feeling better since you know me)_  
_(I was a lonely soul, but that's the old me)_  
_(I'm feeling better since you know me)_  
_(I was a lonely soul, but that's the old me)_  
_(I'm feeling better since you know me)_  
_(I was a lonely soul, but that's the old me)_

_I'm feeling better ever since you know me_  
_I was a lonely soul but that's the old me_  
_A little wiser now from what you showed me_  
_Yeah, I feel again, feel again woo hoo_

Finn stopped moving as the song ended. Quinn was still in his arms and she was still laughing though she was looking at him now. Before he could say or do anything, Quinn leaned forward and kissed him. Finn was shocked, but he kissed her back.

The two of them stood in the middle of the apartment kissing before the logical side of Finns brain took over. No. He couldn't do this. She was _Puck's little sister_. Hell, she was practically his sister. It was wrong and the sure fire way to get his ass kicked.

Finn pulled back, setting her down on the ground. "Quinn, I can't. This is wrong. You're like my sister. And Puck's my best friend. And we can't. We just can't. I love you. You know I love you. You're like a sister to me and I'll always love you like that, but I can't do this."

Quinn sunk onto the couch as tears welled in her eyes. "God I'm so stupid," she cried. Finn sat down beside her and put an arms around her shoulders, but she recoiled as though she'd been slapped. "Don't touch me! Just take me home. I want to be in my bed and away from you."

"I can't."

"What the fuck do you mean you can't? You have a damn car. You're not even that drunk. Or just call me a damn cab."

"Puck said you're staying here tonight after the issue with Rachel and her friend."

"Oh my god. You're babysitting me. You didn't ask me to hang out because you wanted to. This makes this _so_ much better!" she cried.

"Here. you can stay in my room if you want to."

"Well I _don't_ want to. I'll sleep on the couch. Why don't you just go into your room and fuck off? I want to be alone right now, Hudson," she snapped.

"But I-"

"Just _go_!" she shrieked. Finn gave her one last look before walking away, leaving the crying Quinn in his living room. As he shut his bedroom door on her, Finn realized he may have ruined his relationship with the only girl in his life besides his mother who he truly gave a damn about.

**Song credit: One Republic- "Feel Again"**


	28. Chapter 28

"He's an ass. A big, giant, hairy ass who can go fuck himself. Why the hell didn't you call me last night after he acted all assey and tell me? I would have forced your brother to stop trying to round some bases and come get you." Rachel and Quinn were lying in Rachel's bed the next afternoon, Quinn having recounted the whole story of the previous night to Rachel, including the part where the boy she'd been in love with since she was nine told her he loved her...as a sister.

"I didn't want to disturb you. I figured you needed your space after the shit that went down with the bestie and my brother was the best person to help talk you off the ledge. I took the couch. It's not a big deal, Rach."

"But it is, Q. This is your room. I'm not letting you be exiled for the night and sleep on a couch just because your brother wants to try and get some action from me. I'll talk to him later and tell him he is never to do that to you again unless he has your permission."

Quinn laughed, snuggling closer to Rachel. "Thanks chicka. You're the best. I'm so glad my brother decided to date and fall in love with you. You're the first girl he's ever been with that I actually like," she grinned.

"Thanks. I think," Rachel laughed.

Quinn sighed, staring at the ceiling as Rachel's radio played softly in the background, Taylor Swift filling the silence as she crooned about one of the many boys that had dumped her.

"I don't know what to do, diva. This whole Finn mess is really making my life suck. I mean, if he really does love me like a sister, why they hell did he kiss me like that last night? Those were _definitely_ not brother kisses. Unless he was an incestuous brother," she giggled.

"Babe, he's been your pseudo-incestuous brother for a long time from what you've told me. The late night slumber parties in your room, the sneaking through your window, the hugs that last a little longer than they should-Hudson's been harboring some feelings that are definitely not brotherly. I think homeboy's just conflicted. He wants to fuck your brains out, but he knows he'd be risking his position in your family, you know?"

"Why are my two favorite virgins talking about fucking brains out?" Sam asked, pushing the door to the dorm room open as he walked inside.

"We were describing in detail our Saturday night plans for you," Rachel teased, sticking her tongue out at Sam as Quinn blushed a deep shade of red. "What do you want, Evans? This is girl time. No penises allowed."

"We've never had sex. For all you know, I don't have a penis," he retorted.

"Right, so the bulge in the front of your jeans is just a pair of socks you shoved down there."

"I don't know if I should feel flattered or violated about the fact that you've been secretly checking out my junk," Sam laughed, taking a seat on the edge of Quinn's bed opposite the two girls. "You should really keep your door locked, though. You don't want some random creep walking in and talking you two into a threesome."

"Not possible, hombre. No slick talking frat rat is going to talk me out of my expensive panties, even if he looks like Ryan Gosling. He might have a little more luck with Q right here, but this heart is taken and is not easily swayed by attractive yet slutty boys."

"Even though the aforementioned heart is taken by an attractive yet slutty boy," Quinn teased with a laugh. "So your point is invalid. Anyways, what are you doing here, Sam? I thought you would be standing by your man and giving us the cold shoulder."

"And risk missing out on sexually explicit conversations between two virgins? Yeah right. I needed a break from the constant bitching Kurt is doing about my favorite diva to his not-boyfriend on the phone. I figured the skanky football player would be gone by now and I'd be the only person with a Y chromosome in the room. Looks like I was right. So, what are my two favorite girls talking about?"

"Stupid boys and how we should make them go live on Mars with the aliens," Quinn replied, sitting up in bed, her legs draped across Rachel's stomach. "Besides you, Sammy. You can stay here. We'll just hide you in our garage so the other girls don't get jealous and try to steal you from us."

"Great, so I'll be demoted from best friend to sex slave hiding in the garage. Great," he said sarcastically.

"Hey, we could choose to send you to Mars with the rest of the idiot boys. Consider yourself lucky," Rachel teased, turning her head to the side to look over at him, her hands resting on the top of Quinn's knee.

"Hmm, sex slave is sounding good right about now," he joked. "What happened to get you two boy-crazy gals into a man-hating mood besides the big blow-up from last night?"

"Finn. He's such a bonehead, I don't understand how he's made it this far in life," Quinn vented, slamming her fists down on the mattress. "I'm pretty sure making out with a girl and then telling her you love her like a sister is probably about the creepiest and shittiest thing you can do to someone. Like honestly, what kind of brother makes out with his sister?"

"An incestuous one," Sam supplied, giving the two girls a quick nod of his head. "Was Finn acting like a creepy incestuous brother after all the other drunk and horny college students had left the apartment and it was just him and our beloved Quinn there?"

"After he danced around with her for awhile, of course," Rachel answered. "Seriously. He's like bipolar or something. He can't decide if he wants to fuck Quinn or pretend to be her big brother for the rest of his life. See, he has these feelings that he knows are about as far from brotherly that one can get, so he decides to dance around with her without getting too grabby, but then darling Q pulls some innocent moves out and it gets him all excited, hence the making out. But then he remembers he's supposed to be her big brother and protect her, and that my boyfriend would murder him and make it look like an accident if he corrupted his little sister's innocence, hence the love you like a sister speech. He probably spent the rest of the night masturbating to thoughts of Quinn in the shower followed by beating himself with a whip for doing that," Rachel giggled.

"One, you're disgusting. Two, why can't you be a supportive roommate instead of pondering what Finn was doing last night after the kiss from hell. And three, I'm totally telling my brother you referenced Finn and masturbation in the same sentence."

"Hmm, I love you?" Rachel teased, hitting her lightly in the shoulder as she laughed. "You know I'm kidding, darling. He probably cried himself to sleep and tried to figure out a way he could both fuck you until the world blows up and keep Puck as his best friend, then punched a pillow when he found no way."

"Seriously, how are you still a virgin with a mouth and attitude like that?" Sam asked. "If I had known you back in high school, I would have asked you out once I could think and then fucked you in the back seat of my truck. And then of course we would have fun away to Vegas and eloped. Hell, if Quinnie's brother wasn't so territorial, I would steal you away from him now."

"Aww, that's both sweet and slightly creepy at the same time," Rachel laughed, bobbing her head to the music. "And had you asked me out in high school, I would have gladly given the goods up to you, Sammy. And if Noah didn't win my heart over first, you might have had a chance with me now as well."

"Darn," Sam said, snapping his fingers. "I guess I'll have to search for another witty girl with a potty mouth who can't stop talking about sex," he teased. "In fact, I should get on that now." He stood up, walking over and gave both Quinn and Rachel a kiss on the cheek. "It's been fun girls, but I have a midterm Tuesday and I'm not going to do well if all I can recite is every dick joke Rachel knows. I'll talk to you sluts later. And chin up, Quinn. You're beautiful and definitely fuckable. If Finn doesn't see that, he's a dumbass."

Sam gave the girls a wave before leaving the room, reminding them to lock the door as he shut it behind him. Rachel climbed off the bed, locking the door knob before climbing back into bed with Quinn, resting her legs across Quinn's lap as she returned to her position of staring at the ceiling. "Well, we learned one thing from that conversation."

"What's that?" Quinn asked, looking down at Rachel.

"Sam finds the both of us extremely fuckable," she giggled.

Quinn rolled her eyes at Rachel. "He was just saying that to be nice and make us feel better about ourselves."

Rachel shook her head. "No he was totally serious. If you weren't gaga over Finn and Joe, he'd totally take you out and end the night be banging you. Give him enough time and he still might," Rachel laughed. "I mean come on, wouldn't you like to fuck Sam?"

Quinn's face turned a bright shade of red. "I mean I don't know. He's totally hot and super sweet, but he's also our friend and I wouldn't want to screw things up by sleeping with him and making everything all awkward, you know? I'd hate to be the reason our four man wolfpack breaks up."

"Okay fair enough. Still, if surfer boy and the dumbass don't get their shit together soon, I wouldn't count the blonde out. He'd be great boyfriend material, and there'd be no kind of expectations for sex since you're both virgins."

"Thanks for that, Rachel. That's definitely what I'm now going to start thinking about with every guy I could potentially date: what expectations is he going to have of me when we sleep together?"

"How do you think I feel with your brother? His history scares me if I'm being totally honest. I'll never tell him that, but I'm always intimidated when I think about how much experience he has compared to my total lack of experience. What if he thinks I'm no good if we have sex?"

"Rachel, he's head over ass for you. If doesn't matter if you're the worst lay in the history of lays. He's still going to love you and it'll just make him want to practice with you to turn you into some kind of amazing girl to have sex with. Trust me. He's not going to ditch you after you have sex the first time just because you don't know what you're doing in bed. He may be an ass, but he's not that big of an ass."

Rachel smiled at her roommate, squeezing her hand lightly. Her phone vibrated and she picked it up, her eyebrows creasing slightly as she read the name on the front. She held a finger up, climbing out of bed and answered the phone, pressing it to her ear. "Daddy?" she asked.

Quinn watched from the bed and listened to Rachel's half of the conversation. From what she gathered, Rachel's two dads were coming to visit their only child shortly and wanted to meet all her new friends. However, towards the end of the conversation, Quinn watched Rachel frown and mumble a goodbye into the phone before hanging up.

"Why so sad, diva?"

"My dads are flying out this week to visit."

"Isn't that good? You keep talking about how much you miss them and how you want them to visit."

"No, that is good," Rachel sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking over at Quinn. "They're coming out to see my first official show with the band on Thursday, but they want to take Kurt and I out for lunch to hear about our semester so far. How am I supposed to get Kurt to come to a lunch with me and my dads when he won't even speak to me?"

Quinn crawled over to Rachel, wrapping her arms around her shoulders comfortingly. "Hey, don't sweat it, love. I'm sure this will all have blown over by then and you and Kurt will be buddy-buddy again. Don't worry or cry. Things are going to get better. Both our lives might be going to hell right now, but just remember one thing."

"What's that?" Rachel asked.

"You have two fathers who adore you, a roommate who thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, guy friends who would love to take you to bed but would also kick the ass of any guy who treats you badly, and a boyfriend who loves you more than anything else. Just because Kurt can't get over something that happened when you were sixteen doesn't mean you don't have a million other people here willing to take his spot until he sees reason and apologizes. Like me."

"What, you're volunteering to be my new Kurt?" Rachel laughed.

"Daaahling, I've been trying to steal that position from him since I met you. I can totally be your gay bestie, but without being gay, of course," she teased. "I'll do your hair and make fun of your clothes and tell you I love you more than I do now."

Rachel laughed, rolling back on the bed so she and Quinn were lying side by side once more. "Sounds like a plan, Kurt 2.0. You'll be the boo to my diva and we'll show Kurt that I've upgraded the best friend in my life. He'll be begging to get back in my good graces."

"Damn straight bitch. Now get your ass dressed and let's go. I have a headache, my heart is broken, and both our lives are in shambles. I think it's the perfect day to stuff our faces with greasy, fried food from In-N-Out Burger."

**Okay, so a short chapter, but plenty is coming up in the next few chapters, including a few slaps to Finn's face. As always, thanks for your continued support and don't forget to leave a review! I greatly value all your critiques!**


	29. Chapter 29

"So, I have a question for you."

Puck was busy cleaning up empty beer cans and cups from the floor of his and Finn's apartment. The apartment was still pretty messy when he arrived back from Rachel's dorm Sunday morning. He'd found Quinn on the couch asleep, her make up from the previous night streaked across her face. Instead of asking why she was sleeping there or what had happened, he just drove her back to her dorm, the two siblings not even exchanging a word. He'd get the story from Finn once he got back home.

Puck looked up at Finn's voice and nodded his head. "Go right ahead and ask. I'm all ears."

"What do you think of that Joe character Quinn's been hanging around lately. You know, the surfer we met at Rachel's beach celebration."

Puck rolled his eyes. "I know who Joe is, Finn. No need to describe the dude to me. What do you mean what do I think of him?"

"For your sister. Do you like him?"

Puck shrugged his shoulders. If he was being honest with himself, he hadn't really thought about him. He'd been too preoccupied with winning Rachel over that he'd hardly thought of his sister. He hadn't asked about her classes or met any of her friends. And he certainly hadn't thought of any guy she was seeing. What he had thought of were all the guys who stared at Rachel's ass as she walked around campus, that she was enjoying school, and that she was extremely happy with her current boyfriend.

God, he was horrible. He put his new girlfriend above his own sister. He was definitely going to Jewish Hell when he died.

"I don't know. He seems nice enough. I barely know the guy, Finn. I can't really pass judgment on him. But he seems good for her. Not as whorish as you and I are, and she's happy. I always see her smiling when he's around. That's what a brother should want for his sister, right? For her to be happy?" he asked.

"I guess," Finn said reluctantly. "But you also need to think of what's best for her. I mean, is this dreadlocked surfer the best match for your innocent, virgin sister? I mean, a guy like that has to have banged a few chicks in his day. Aren't you worried he's going to push your sister into doing something she's not ready for?"

Puck rubbed his forehead. "Why are we talking about who my sister is dating? She's an adult, Finn. She can make her own decisions about what guys she wants in her life. It's not like I can control that, and even if I tried she'd tell me to fuck myself and keep doing what she wanted to."

"Hey, I'm just trying to protect her. She's so innocent and trusting. She wants to believe the best in people, which means people are easily going to take advantage of her."

"What do you want me to say about that, Finn? She'll make mistakes and learn. I can't be her babysitter. She's eighteen. She's got to experience life sometime."

"Bullshit. You don't let Rachel live her own life and make mistakes. You make damn sure any other male who comes in contact with her keeps his distance or you'll rip his throat out. You're more protective of your girlfriend than you are your own sister."

"So what? I don't have to justify myself to you. Quinn is my sister, not yours."

"Yeah, well I'm the one who's always acted as her brother. Who was the one who drove her home from cheerleading practice every day while you were hooking up with whatever girl you were banging at the time behind the bleachers? Who made sure Quinn didn't find out that you were sleeping with her cheer captain her sophomore year? Who was always there for her while you were being a wayward brother and fucking every girl you saw?"

"Look, I know I've been a shitty brother. I'll freely admit that. You were always better at taking care of Quinn and making sure no one was ever giving her a hard time. I guess I always kind of slacked in my big brother duties because I knew you were there to look after her for me. But that doesn't mean I don't care about her. She's my fucking sister, Finn. I love her more than life itself, but I also know when to back off and let her live her own damn life. She likes this Joe guy, and I'm not going to get in the way. Besides, from everything Rachel's said about him, he seems like a gentleman. You know, the kind of guy a brother would want for his sister. He's not like you and me," he laughed.

"Would Quinn being with someone like us be so bad?" Finn asked quietly, tossing an empty bag of chips into the trash.

"Are you kidding me? It'd be the worst. I mean, think about it. He'd be trying to get into her pants constantly be pursuing other chicks. Quinn deserves someone better than that."

"What about you and Rachel? You're not pressuring her or looking at other girls. You haven't since you met her."

"Yeah, well that's because I'm head over heels for her. And Rachel deserves better than me, but she loves me and my slutty ass for some reason. I'm not going to question it. I'm going to enjoy it and hope she never realizes how much better she can do."

"But what if a guy with our kind of track record felt that way about Quinn? Would you still be against him being with her?"

Puck sighed. "Look Finn, Quinn's my baby sister. I want what's best for her, and a guy like me or you is not what she needs. She needs someone less slutty who's going to move slow and treat her like the treasure she is. Guys like us don't just change unless it's true love. I know I sound like a hypocrite since I'm a changed man with Rachel, but she's different. She's the girl I'm going to marry some day and I'd do anything to keep her. Most guys like us would never say that about a girl, which is why they'll never get near my sister as long as I can help it."  
xxx  
After a greasy and fatty meal, Quinn and Rachel took their bellies full of hamburgers and walked back to their dorm, hoping to burn off some of what they had just eaten. The two girls had linked arms and were leaning into each other as they strolled down the sidewalk, smiles on their faces.

"You know, I really need to do something about Finn. Maybe I should take your approach and not talk to him like you did with my brother. That worked out for you guys in the end. I mean, you two are so sweet it hurts my teeth."

"Yes, well your brother was already in love with me by that point. He'd have done anything to get back in my good graces. Finn is so clueless he doesn't realize he loves you, so it may not end up working out for you in the end," Rachel pointed out as they approached their building, Rachel extracting her card to open the front door.

"Alright, maybe not that, then. But what am I supposed to do about him, Rach? I fucking kissed him and all he could do was spout some bullshit about how I'm like a sister and this is wrong and blah blah blah. Other guys find me extremely desirable, so why can't the one boy I've wanted my whole life feel that way about me?" she ranted as the door opened before Rachel had a chance to swipe her card.

Both girls looked up and watched Kurt walk out of the building, Blaine following behind him. Blaine glanced at Rachel momentarily, giving her a quick, friendly smile and a quick nod to Quinn. Rachel caught Kurt's eyes and gave him a smile, just glad to see him.

She hadn't been prepared for his reaction.

The iciness she saw in his eyes made her physically take a step back. Her chest hurt as the icy stare turned into a glare. His mouth stayed in a straight line and none of the laughs or smiles they'd shared over the years seemed to exist on his face at the moment. Instead all that was there was pure hatred for the girl who Kurt had once regarded as his best friend.

Quinn came up next to Rachel and put a hand on her shoulder, holding her steady. The two watched Kurt and Blaine walk by, Kurt continuing the conversation as though he hadn't just run into Rachel. Blaine looked back at them once they had passed, giving the two girls an apologetic look before turning his attention back to Kurt, his hand on the boy's shoulder as they headed towards the dining hall.

Rachel sighed once they were out of sight, sinking onto the bench outside the front door to the dorm building. "He hates me," she said. "My best friend actually hates me. I didn't think it was possible for Kurt to hate anyone, yet he hates me. He's never going to forgive me for this."

Quinn took a seat next to her roommate, taking Rachel's hand in hers. "Don't say that. He will. You just need to give him time. He'll realize how miserable he is without you and you'll be boo and diva again like nothing happened," she promised, hoping it was true. Quinn had seen Kurt's look and it scared her. The way he stared at Rachel...well Rachel was just lucky looks couldn't kill.

Rachel buried her face in her hands and started crying softly, Quinn rubbing her back in a comforting manner as she stayed silent, letting Rachel get everything out. She'd sit here for hours if she had to. She'd do anything to make Rachel happy again. She hated seeing her roommate like this, especially over a friend. She understood why Kurt was mad, but she thought he was handling it badly. He and Rachel had been friends their whole lives according to Rachel. How could he just throw that away over something stupid like a secret from when they were teenagers?

Quinn guessed there was a lot to Rachel and Kurt's relationship she didn't-and never would-understand.

Quinn looked up as she thought she heard someone call her name. Sure enough, Joe was strolling over to the building, ocean water clinging to his dreads. His skin was still damp from an early-morning surf session with his friends. She doubted he had even showered yet because he knew she liked him when he still smelled like the beach. He'd changed out of his swim trunks and into a pair of grey shorts with a light blue tee shirt. He had a pair of brown flip flops on his feet and his dreads were pulled back with a white bandanna wrapped around them.

He looked hot like always. Quinn couldn't believe her luck that someone like him was into her. She'd never understand why, but she wasn't going to question it now. She gave Joe a sad smile before jerking her head in the direction of the crying Rachel.

The look Joe gave her was the reason he was perfect. Instead of looking annoyed like someone like Finn might if he found the girl he was spending time with comforting her roommate. Joe gave Quinn a sympathetic frown before walking right over to her and sitting on the other side of Rachel, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Rach, Joe's here," Quinn said softly.

Rachel looked up to find Joe on one side and Quinn on the other, both of them giving her a united blanket of comfort, shielding her mess of a face from everyone walking by. Rachel sniffled a little before pulling her head up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Luckily, the only make up on her face was what was left from the night before so she didn't look too racoonish.

Quinn went to work cleaning up Rachel's face while she gave Joe a quick run-down of what had happened that day to set Rachel in her downward spiral.

"Ah, so the bestie is still fuming from secrets that were discovered at your boyfriend's awesome party last night, huh?" he asked, patting Rachel's back gently.

Rachel nodded her head sadly. "Yeah. He's taking this a lot harder than I thought he would. I'm fine now," she promised, looking over at Quinn. She stood up, adjusting her skirt slightly. "You guys can go up to the room for awhile if you'd like. It's the best I can do after your brother banned you last night."

Quinn arched her eyebrows at Rachel. "And what exactly do you plan on doing, my dear? I'm not letting you wander around campus looking depressed and less than flawless."

Rachel smiled a small genuine smile. "Gla to know you're taking my appearance into consideration. I was just going to head over to the music lab for a bit. Maybe play something on the piano or practice some of my songs for the show, even if I probably sound like shit at the moment." She leaned forward and gave Quinn a tight hug. "Have fun, doll. Text me when you and Joe are leaving. I don't want to interrupt anything," she whispered into Quinn's ear before smiling and walking away, her bag slung over her shoulder.

Rachel didn't like this feeling of having her whole life falling apart around her. She liked to be in control of her life. She liked knowing she had some semblance of control about what was going on around her, but with Kurt acting this way and Jesse back in her life, thngs were so unpredictable. She wanted to curl into a ball and cry, but she also knew some of the greatest pieces of music were born from sadness.

She headed over to the school of music and extracted her ID, swiping it on the door of the music lab. The light turned green and the door unlocked. Rachel found the room devoid of any other person. She flipped on the lights, looking around at all the empty grand pianos. She smiled, feeling right at home. In Ohio, her dads had constructed a very similar room for her. Of course, there was only one piano there, but it fit the same purpose. It was a place Rachel could go to when she was sad and just sing or play or do whatever she wanted.

It was the one place she could go to get complete and total peace. She'd spent most of her days there following her break up with Jesse and almost her whole summer there after they lost regionals to Vocal Adrenaline.

Right now she was missing her room. The room at home had pictures of Rachel at various recitals throughout the years. It had all her awards from competitions lining the shelves on the walls, as well as some of Rachel's favorite pieces of music framed. This place was much more bare, but she still felt the instant calm when she walked in.

She took a seat at her favorite piano, letting her fingers run across the smooth ivory the keys were made of. She looked down for a moment before closing her eyes. Her fingers danced across the keys, playing the melody from memory. Rachel found herself lost in the music, oblivious to everything else around her. She was just thankful she was alone and not having to listen to other people. She was too worn down to have to pay attention to conversations, which was part of the reason she had left Quinn and Joe alone. She knew they meant well, but she couldn't take listening to their pity for any length of time without snapping and saying something she regretted. She couldn't even be around Puck right now. She had sent him a text after she and Quinn had left In-N-Out saying she loved him, but that was the extent of their communication today.

Rachel pulled her hands back as she finished the song, prepared to go into another one. "Moonlight Sonata? Interesting choice." Rachel faltered for a moment, looking back at the door. Wes Anderson, her co-lead in the musical, was standing there leaning against the door frame. She was curious about how long he'd been watching her, feeling both slightly violated that he'd observed her in her most vulnerable state but also impressed he knew classical music.

"You know Beethovan?" she asked, scooting over on the piano bench slightly to make room for him.

Wes walked over, taking a seat beside Rachel, his long fingers playing a quick, lively melody on the keys. "Rachel, I'm a music major. Of course I know Beethovan. I wouldn't be graduating in the spring if I didn't," he laughed. "What are you doing here on a Sunday? I thought you'd be recuperating from your boyfriend's party last night. Sorry I missed it-my sister was in town so I spent the night with her."

"No apology necessary. It was Noah's party, not mine," she said with a smile, her fingers walking across the keys absentmindedly. "I just needed to be alone, you know? I love my roommate and everyone, but sometimes I just need to get lost in the music. Playing the piano seems to be the best way for me to escape life for a bit. It's where I spent my summer after my highschool break up and after I lost regionals."

"Ah, so you play when you're sad," Wes stated with a nod. "What makes the lovely Belle so sad today? I thought you'd be happy after attending a giant college party."

"Friendship drama, what else?" she asked with a small laugh. Rachel didn't know Wes that well, but she found him extremely easy to talk to. She started telling him everything that had happened with Kurt, admitting to her relationship with Jesse at the same time. She just knew he wasn't one to judge. And she was right. Wes listened, never once interrupting her or giving her a judgmental look.

Once Rachel had finished, Wes started playing, speaking as he did so. "Wow, and I thought my life was complicated. I wish I had advice for you, but I've never had anything close to that happen to me. My guess would be to wait it out. Let him stew over it for a few days before he realizes how boneheaded it is to throw a great friendship away over something like that."

"I don't know what to do with my parents, though. They're going to know something's up when I show up to dinner without Kurt, and I don't want them to think anything's wrong. They were so worried about me going to school so far away. The only reason they relented was because Kurt would be here with me."

"Then show them you're still fine without him. If he won't come bring your roommate. Or just go by yourself and on't let them see you being sad or moping. Show them you're very okay here, even if you and Kurt are on the outs. And if they ask about him, be honest. The worst thing you can do is lie to your parents. I mean, they raised you. They know when you're bullshitting them."

Rachel laughed softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Mister Wes Anderson. You've somehow made me laugh and smile when even my roommate couldn't. Now why don't we use this time for something useful like rehearsing. That way, we can show Jesse how great we are so he doesn't put us through the ringer again," she smiled. Wes nodded his head and placed his hands on the keys, starting to play while Rachel began to sing, the two of them losing themselves in the music, the one peaceful place Rachel had left in her life.  
xxx  
Rachel shot Quinn a text letting her know she was heading back to their dorm before leaving the music school, walking alongside Wes as they headed out the front doors. He offered to drive her back, but it wasn't a far walk. Plus, he felt bad making him go out of his way to drive her less than a mile. She thanked him, however, and promised to see him the next day at rehersal.

She shouldered her bag and went the opposite way as Wes as he headed to his car in the parking lot while she headed along the path that went to the freshman dorms. She'd gotten a few texts from Noah reaffirming his love for her and reminding her he'd be out of town until Wednesday for an away game.

She realized she should probably be a little worried, but she wasn't. She trusted Puck more than anyone else. She knew he'd never do anything to hurt her, especially something as callous as hooking up with another girl while out of town.

She hadn't heard back from Quinn, but it had been three hours. She knew Quinn wasn't sleeping with Joe (or at least she was hoping so), so the most she'd walk in on was some under the shirt action, but she figured if she and Joe were still in there she would have texted Rachel back and warned her to stay away.

As Rachel rounded the corner around the lake on campus, she saw a familiar tuft of curly hair. She sighed as she approached Jesse who seemed to be waiting for her, like he knew she'd be walking this way. "Jesse," she said, curtly yet still civily. "Come here to ruin my life further?" She didn't bother stopping, contining on her way.

Jesse started walking beside her, his hands shoved in his pockets. He seemed nervous for some reason and Rachel got the horrible feeling he was going to do something reckless like attempt to kiss her.

"I came to apologize," he said after the two had been walking side by side for about a minute. "For last night. I was out of line and I was an asshole. I know that doesn't excuse what I did or fix things with you and Kurt, but I still felt like I needed to say it."

Rachel let out another sigh, something she tended to do a lot of around Jesse. "Honestly, just saying you're sorry doesn't mean I'm about to forgive you for what you did. You con my boyfriend into inviting you to his party and then torpedo my life in a matter of seconds. Kurt won't even look at me, Jesse. He hates me, and it's all your fault."

"I know it is," Jesse said quietly. "I know what I did is unforgivable, just like what I did to you in high school is unforgivable. I'm a tool and an asshole when you're concerned. I guess I just have these feelings for you, but I don't want to have them so I act this way."

"Jesse, you don't love me. We both know you don't. You're attracted to me, but you don't love me. You act this way to me because you're a complete asshole and act like that to everyone around you, so don't go spouting some bullshit excuse about how you're in love with me which is why you do the shit you do. At least be honest with me."

"Alright, fine," he snapped. "I'm a dick to you because I can be. Satisfied?"

"Maybe. What are you even doing here? Are you stalking me or something?"

"No, but I heard you talking with Anderson over by the music school, so I waited over here until you were done so I could talk to you alone."

"Great. You got me alone. Now say your peace and get lost. I don't have the energy to put up with you right now."

"What crawled up your ass and died?" he muttered, shaking his head. "Sorry," he said a moment later. "I just...I don't know how to say this."

"How about you just say it so I can get back? I'm tired and would really like to shower before heading to dinner with the roommate."

Jesse raked a hand through his hair, an action she'd become accustomed with while the two had dated. He always did it when he was nervous. She had no idea why he'd be nervous right now, and her previous fears of him kissing her returned.

"Jess? You don't have to be nervous," she said softly, reaching up and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just go on and say whatever it is, no matter how awful it is. You're kind of freaking me out right now."

"Alright," he sighed. "Remember when we were together and you said your biggest dream was to meet your birth mother?"

"Yeah," Rachel said, shrugging her shoulders. "And remember when we found out my dads had those records destroyed so no one could ever find out who she was, me included? It was some woman they paid to carry their kid and that's that. I gave up on that dream a long time ago," she lied.

"You don't have to give up on it. I found her. I found your mom, Rachel, and she lives in Los Angeles."


	30. Chapter 30

**Sorry this chapter is so short. I'm dealing with some personal issues at the moment and didn't feel like writing much. As always, thank you for your reviews!**

Rachel wasn't sure how she made it back to her dorm without getting lost. She managed to make it to the front of the building but struggled scanning her ID to open the door. Luckily, Sam appeared then, his arms full of textbooks. He let her in and struck up a conversation with her. Rachel had no idea what he was saying or what she said to him, bidding him goodbye when she reached the door to her room.

Rachel managed to unlock the door, finding a slightly flustered Quinn sitting on her bed. She had changed into an oversized tee shirt and Rachel noticed a few hickeys on her neck, though she was so lost in her own thoughts, she didn't even bother to comment.

"What's up with you?" Quinn asked as she caught sight of the dazed look on her roommate's face. "You look like your mind is on Mars or something."

"Nothing," Rachel said in an airy voice and she realized that would do nothing to quell Quinn's curiosity. "My mind's just a little busy from practice," she lied quickly. "I ran into Wes at the lab and we rehearsed for the show for awhile. How was your alone time with the boy toy?" she asked quickly, desperate to move the conversation away from herself.

Quinn's pale face turned red and a huge grin spread across her face. Rachel attempted to pay attention as Quinn recounted her and Joe's heated make out session which ended with him finally asking Quinn to be his girlfriend, a role she gladly agreed to.

"So what did he have to say about the Finn incident?" Rachel asked, tucking the small piece of paper Jesse had given to her into her bag, something Quinn luckily did not notice. "Did he go all alpha-male and threaten to kick the football player's ass?"

"No because he doesn't know about it. And he won't," she added with a stern look.

"That's a great way to start a relationship," Rachel said sarcastically. "Lie to your new boyfriend about Finn Hudson kissing you and freaking out about it two seconds later. Have you at least been upfront with him about your unwavering love for the boy?"

Quinn shifted uncomfortably on her bed. "Not exactly. Look, I know you're judging me right now, but I don't think Joe needs to hear about my feelings for another guy. I'm into Joe, not Finn," she stated, though Rachel could see the lie in her eyes. Regardless she decided not to press the issue. It was Quinn's life, not hers.

Rachel nodded her head, her mind going back to her meeting with Jesse. He'd explained to her how he'd found her mother by chance, but he knew she was Rachel's mom. He'd given her a slip of paper with her name and address and claimed the woman was interested in meeting Rachel.

Rachel felt a sense of anxiety in the pit of her stomach. This was something she had dreamed about her whole life, and now it was so close she could taste it. But, it seemed too good to be true. What if this was some other joke Jesse was pulling to humiliate her more and destroy her before the show? She wouldn't put it past him. She could ask her dads if this woman was really her mother, but she knew they'd be hurt if she brought the issue up. The three of them had agreed not to discuss Rachel's birth mother.

What she really wanted was to talk to Kurt. Kurt would know what to do. Of course, he was the one person who was refusing to talk to her at the moment. She could always go over to his dorm and make him listen to her, but she figured he was more likely to slam the door in her face than listen to a word she had to say to him.

So instead Rachel was left with the knowledge that her birth mother was here in Los Angeles and she didn't know what to do about it. She couldn't talk about it with Quinn or even Puck. They wouldn't understand the big deal about it. Only Kurt would really understand, but he was still so mad at her that she doubted he would even care right now.

Instead, Rachel stripped her clothes off and pulled her pajamas on, deciding to study for a bit. Of course, that didn't seem possibly when Quinn kept talking about Joe. Instead, the two girls stayed up into the earl hours of the morning disecting Quinn's emerging love life. Rachel's mind kept drifting back to the slip of paper resting in her bag.

Eventually she drifted to sleep, though she dreamed about her mother that night. She dreamed about meeting her and what she would be like.

Rachel woke up in the morning with a smile on her face, though her stomach was still churning about what had happened the day before. She needed to talk to Kurt, which meant she had to swallow her pride and beg him to talk to her.

Rachel changed out of her pajamas into a pair of light red shorts and a white tee shirt. She ran a comb through her hair and slipped on a pair of sandals, putting all her things for the day into a tan tote, slinging it over her arm and headed out of the room quietly in an attempt not to wake Quinn.

She took a deep breath and headed down the hall until she was standing in front of Kurt and Sam's room, her hand raised in front of it. She faltered. Kurt had made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with her. Everyone had told her to just let him chill for a few days and then try to work things out.

But this was different. This wasn't her going over for a simple chat. This was different. This was something Rachel had been talking about since she first met Kurt. This was her birth mother. This trumped fights and cold shoulders. With that, she placed a few hard knocks on the door and waited.

It felt like she was waiting forever (though in reality it was less than a minute) before the door opened, a sleepy Kurt standing there. Rachel felt her heart jump. He was there, looking at her. Some of the anger seemed to have vanished from yesterday, though he still did not look pleased to see her.

"What?"

Rachel frowned at the way he'd spoken to her. It was sharp and demanding, not friendly in the least. She was regretting coming here. She'd probably woken him up, and a happy tired Kurt was not pleasant. She didn't even want to imagine what a pissed off tired Kurt was like.

"I just wanted to tell you..." She paused, her shoulders falling slightly. "The dads are going to be in town this week and they want to take us all out to dinner. I just thought you should know in case you wanted to come. You should bring Blaine," she finished, staring at the ground. "You should come. I don't want them thinking there's anything weird going on between us. You don't have to talk to me. Just come and enjoy a meal on the Berry's," she mumbled, wringing her hands in front of her.

Kurt stayed quiet. Rachel didn't even bother looking at him, terrified about what she would see in his eyes. "Tell Sam what day and time. I'll see how I'm feeling." With that, he closed the door in her face without so much as a goodbye. It was more than she hoped for. She knew she didn't tell him what she was there to say, but she realized she wasn't ready to. She and Kurt weren't talking. They needed to fix their friendship before she dropped a bomb like that on him.

With a smile on her face, Rachel turned and headed away from the dorm, walking out the building and headed towards her classes for the day, her mood slightly better than it had been all weekend.

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


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